


Strange Bedfellows

by Numbkid



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Bondage and Discipline, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Hunter X Hunter Spoilers, Implied/Referenced Prostitution, KuraNeon Marriage Theory, Marriage of Convenience, Post-Yorkshin City | Yorknew City Arc (Hunter X Hunter), Pre-Dark Continent Arc, Pre-Succession Contest Arc, Sexual Tension, The Great Gatsby References, Wet Dream, What happened to Kurapika after YorkNew arc, slowburn romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:20:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27963668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Numbkid/pseuds/Numbkid
Summary: To Neon, the agreement is only another black-and-white painting to add into her colourless world. To Kurapika, it is another means to gain leverage in his mission. Two wounded souls, feeling empty in differing ways. Perhaps this is what they both needed but never knew - finding solace in each other's heat.
Relationships: Kurapika & Neon Nostrade, Kurapika/Neon Nostrade
Comments: 42
Kudos: 43





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I started REALLY shipping this couple after seeing some theories about them. Mainly the marriage theory that was written on Tumblr by anotherworldash (aka sweetsysy on FF aka Cb_w on AO3). BIG SHOUTOUT TO YOU GIRL for always discussing with me about KuraNeon!
> 
> I understand that KuraNeon is not a really popular ship. There are a few theories about this ship that makes me like it so please respect it. You can always close this story if you dislike this pairing. For those of you who ship this or are open-minded about it, please enjoy! 
> 
> Warning: Spoilers for manga current arc on some chapters. Mainly till Chapter 377. Please do not read this unless you're comfortable with spoilers. Also, there will be sexual content in the later chapters so that might be good news? Idk haha.

"No! Papa, you can't sell those away!" Neon screamed as the employees were confused whose orders they should follow.

"Neon, my dear, we're almost broke. It has been weeks since you're able to activate your powers to predict the future. We no longer have clients, and unless we sell some of our property, we cannot keep the house. Do you understand? We need to sell some of your flesh collection," Light Nostrade replied.

"No!" now she's sobbing, "sell my clothes and the house decorations then! Not my flesh collection!"

Now, Kurapika's ears became more interested. She would rather lose her clothes than her collection. It was a strange choice, but that would mean that her flesh collection was important to her. Kurapika was fine with that.

"Selling your belongings won't get us enough money. We must sell some of it," her father reasoned, clearly losing his patience.

"But-"

"I have had it with you! You're not even useful anymore, and you're being disrespectful," Light yelled at her.

Neon was taken by surprise - one of the rare times her dad would shout at her, Kurapika concluded. Yet, she frowned, her father had always complied with her requests. Did she really mean nothing to him with her ability gone now?

"You don't understand! You never do! All you ever care about is Mama and-"

"Don't you dare drag her into this!" Light interrupted her.

He swung the back of his hand, intending to slap Neon's cheek. Luckily, Kurapika was quick enough to catch it. "Mr Nostrade, please calm down," he said.

"This is none of your business," Light warned his employee.

"I may be just the head bodyguard, but my job is still to protect your daughter," Kurapika replied, there was a decent menace in his voice.

"Even from you," the blond added.

"Fine. I'll leave her alone for now. Eliza, you're in charge of helping her with choosing which items she wants to auction off. If the money isn't enough, I'll still sell some of the flesh collections away," Light dismissed, walking away.

Kurapika watched Eliza console the young girl, leading her to her room.

 _Stop pitying her. Flesh collectors like her... They have no regard for human life._ \- Kurapika scolded himself.

* * *

"You've done well, young lad," Light Nostrade told Kurapika. They were in Light's office, with Kurapika sitting down. His employer was facing the glass windows, blowing a cigarette. They had just completed going through the report regarding their newfound gambling and bodyguard business - both were Kurapika's idea.

The head bodyguard noted that Light shouldn't be smoking, given that he had not been in good health lately. Perhaps he did not entirely care anymore.

"I was in the dumps when Neon lost her ability. My health has been deteriorating. I wanted to bring the old Neon back, but it looks hopeless. Without your initiatives, I'd be really broke by now," Light spoke, shaking his head when he reminisced the misfortune that had fallen on him, "the gambling and bodyguard business seems promising. I foresee the generation of income to roll out in a few months' time. Sadly still, the impending issue is having money _now_. We might need to sell off expensive antiques, Neon's flesh collection included."

At this, Kurapika tensed up. Light noticed it.

"You seem to worry about something," Light commented, blowing a puff of smoke, "I may not be as intelligent as you, son, but I am old enough to know that men in this line of work have motives. I'm certain there is a reason why you seek employment from us, but I will not pry into it. You've done a huge favour to me, most employees would have wanted to leave, but you stayed. I am sure you had your reasons."

Kurapika nodded. He was relieved that Light, though aware that Kurapika was only using this as a stepping stone for his goals, was not pressing him for answers. In fact, Kurapika did contemplate to leave his employment. Their source of influence and income, Neon's Lovely Ghostwriter, was no longer there. Without it, they were losing power and money for him to collect the Scarlet Eyes, or even have access to connections regarding flesh collectors. Yet, Kurapika chose to stay - where else could he go? Punching Zenji, who was a reputable member in the mafia community, gave Kurapika a bad reputation. Having to work under the Nostrades will also raise suspicion, they'd just think he is a spy for them if he were to seek employment with a mafia member again suddenly. It was better for him to rebuild the Nostrade family organisation from the ashes. With Kurapika's strategic intellect, it was feasible.

"I have seen young men like you, ambitious and hungry for power. I was also like that, still am now. You know what is one thing that they don't have?" he asked a question, that seemed rhetorical. Kurapika still responded with a shake of his head.

"Brains and strength," Light answered, "and you, you have it."

"Most people... they just charge forward. Relying on hired muscle to protect them. You have the means to go far into the hierarchy of power, if you were not a mere bodyguard. You have been an asset in my organisation. In fact-" he stopped, looking at Kurapika in the eye-

"If I may be bold, I dare say that you are a threat. You can easily put a bullet in my head and take over the family organisation," his employer said, which caused Kurapika to tense up. Despite helping Light, he had never thought of that.

"I assure you that I'm no-"

Light chuckled. "Don't worry, that's just a comment. I know you had no ill-intentions of doing that, although I am aware you have motives to gain power and money. While you are a threat, you are also the powerhouse. You're the reason why the Nostrade family organisation is still functioning," he reassured.

His employer sighed, "But I can't just handover a family organisation to an outsider. Ideally, my son should inherit my family empire," he shook his head, "but my wife... she passed away too soon. She died of birth complications. Neon was supposed to have a twin brother. That baby... he was stillborn. Every year, Neon's birthday coincides with her brother and mother's death anniversary. If my son was alive, I'd want him to be intelligent, ambitious and strong. Just like you."

Kurapika did not know how to respond. His employer was sharing personal details, much to his surprise. He was only familiar with the looming grief that clung onto Light.

"I refuse to have any more children, not even with my past girlfriends," Light continued, "the fear of loss... it's too much. No woman can replace my wife. I don't know who will take over me. I haven't been in good health. Neon is not suitable. The mafia community won't take her seriously. I doubt she's interested too. Ideally... if it's not a son, it should be my son-in-law."

Now, at this point, Kurapika was unsure where the conversation was going. Perhaps the old man just wanted to vent on his issues? He thought it was best to stay quiet. If he was worried about his health, perhaps Kurapika could call Leorio to see if he had any contacts in the medical industry?

"Yet..." Light finally sat, rubbing his temples, "no good man in the mafia community would want to marry Neon. With our reputation plummeting, they only see her as a fortune-teller girl. The ones that I know do not have good intentions. I don't see them as a good fit to overtake my businesses either. As far as I know, Neon has not dated anyone. I forbid her. She's still young. I believe, you're only a few years older than her. You're about 23, I suppose?"

He stared at Kurapika, squinting his eyes - gauging Kurapika's age. "Actually, I'm 18 years old. I'm going to be 19 next April," he answered. It was a strange question. Light was evidently surprised, his eyebrows shooting up. 

"Oh. Forgive me," he replied, "you're mature and knowledgeable for your age."

The teenager nodded. This took a weird turn. The old man was onto something.

"You're about the same age as my daughter. If you do not mind this question... since you're around her age... if you can just tell me honestly," Light reluctantly talked, "do you by any chance, ever fancied my daughter?" he finally dropped the bomb of a question. Kurapika tensed up, his heart skipped - both perplexed and surprised at such a controversial topic.

 _Is this a trick question? The woman is pretty, but I'm not a creep! I'm doing my job. But if I say no, then he might get offended because I am implying that I do not find his daughter attractive - which she actually is. Calm down, calm down. Tell him the truth, but be neutral_ \- Kurapika rationalised.

"If I am honest, I do perceive your daughter to be pleasant-looking. But if you're worried about me being unprofessional, I can assure you that I never saw her as anything more than my Bo-"

"No, no. It's not that," Light interrupted, "I am confident that you're professional, but that might be the issue."

Kurapika could no longer hide his bewilderment. This conversation was getting out of hand, with too many unexpected questions and personal details. "Sir, I'm not certain if I'm following this conversation," he commented bluntly. He disliked it. Light was usually straightforward with his instructions and demands.

His employer chuckled in amusement. "You're always straight to the point. Fine, you see, Kurapika... as mentioned, I am troubled. The first is, you're an asset to this family organisation, losing you as an employee will be a blow to me. Secondly, you are also a threat to me. You have the means to take over, but I'm not willing to give my title to an outsider, no matter how qualified they are. I plan to keep my family legacy. I'm dying, but I do not have a son or anyone suitable to marry Neon..."

Kurapika's heart was palpitating... he did not like where this conversation was heading.

"Sir... you're saying-"

"What I'm saying is, Kurapika, I'm offering you to be my son-in-law. My daughter will be at the age where she can legally marry in a months' time," Light concluded, "I do not know what your ulterior motives are, but I do know you need power in your mission."

There was a mixture of emotions rippling through Kurapika's mind. He was prepared for anything - but not this. He knew he had to get close to his employers, compromise his moral values, but how far would he go? It did not feel right at all, for both him and Neon. It was wrong for him to marry a flesh collector - the very kind of people he swore to arrest. It also seemed unfair to the girl. Family was also not on his mind. His family? They're gone. Yet, Light's reasoning did carry weight. Kurapika would still be a mere head bodyguard in the mafia family. While he had the means to control businesses, he was in no position to call the shots. Someone who would marry Neon will eventually be the authority - that smells trouble. 

"What about Boss? She's not going to be okay with this," Kurapika went with that query instead, deciding to leave out the details about his issue with flesh collectors.

"I have spoken to her about the possibility of arranging a marriage. I did tell her I had you in mind. If you refuse, then it'll have to be another person-"

"What did she say?"

"Nothing-"

It still didn't sit right with Kurapika.

"In essence, you're willing to sell your daughter to me to continue your family legacy," Kurapika concluded, being candid and lethal. It sounded like an accusation, but he could not help but touch on that subject.

"That's an extreme term, but I guess that's a natural reaction," Light responded, trying not to sound offended, "I'm saying is that I trust you enough with my daughter, while I get to have someone qualified to take over. You have been adequate at protecting her, even go so far as to oppose me the other day. Even now, you're considering her feelings in this matter."

His mind was freezing over this. There were too many concerns. One of them was: "What happens if I refuse?" he mustered to ask.

"Then, no pressure. You'll continue to be the head bodyguard. I'm not forcing you, Kurapika," Light answered.

The Kurta found himself driven into a corner. He could easily say no, yet the premise of him getting the title, to call his shots without Light's permission, to be able to do anything... The process of him getting the Scarlet Eyes will be easier. It was tempting.

"Let me think it through. But most likely, I will refuse," Kurapika said, standing up to leave.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Miss Neon?" Eliza asked, being concerned. They were in her room. 

"It's not like I have a choice. Papa said it's for the best. He's not in good health, and I'm no longer able to summon my Lovely Ghostwriter. Kurapika has been the one doing all the work for him," she stated, "besides... I still want to be useful to Papa. You know, he treats Kurapika like his own son..."

 _Even better than how he treats his own daughter_... - Eliza thought. 

Neon smiled, but it was bittersweet. She brushed it off, with a whine, "but still! Of all boys he could pick, it had to be him!"

"What's wrong with him?"

The bluette paused. She did understand why her father held him in high regard. He was capable, intelligent, motivated - there was nothing wrong with him, really. 

"He's a Marcus Aurelius stoic! He doesn't know how to have fun. Whenever he's the one guarding me, I cannot breathe. Marrying him will be _boring_!" she whined, trying to pick any flaws that she could find. 

"What do you expect in a marriage with him then? Will it be just a certificate to you? Do you expect it to be something.... _more_?" her servant pried. Neon paused to think. 

What did she exactly want from this? There was a sickening pit in her stomach - the same notion whenever her father wanted her to do all those silly fortune-tellings. She was good at brushing those away, till she felt nothing again. He was using her once more, this time as a tool of invitation to bring in Light's heir, securing their financial income and status. However, that would mean her wealth security as well - Neon was aware of that. 

"I don't know... for now... it's survival-" 

She said with a smile. It's just a certificate to her. They didn't need to do anything else, right? 

* * *

"Basho, Melody-" the head bodyguard called them. 

"Boss will be holding her very own auction to sell off some of her items. Please be on high alert. I have the premonition that Boss is up to something," Kurapika warned. 

This was Melody and Basho's last few tasks before leaving the Nostrade employment. Melody had found employment with a billionaire who is a famed musician and art collector. This was partly motivated by her goal to find the Dark Sonata pieces. Basho decided to visit Jappon, his home country, before job hunting again. Light decided that he needed to retrench some of his employees. Of course, he needed Kurapika. He picked Linssen over Melody and Basho because they let Neon escape during the auction chaos, even if he would like to keep them in his employment. As for the attendants, only Eliza stayed. She would have more days off - as requested by Neon. Light had referred the others to other family estates for employment. They kept only one cook as well. 

"Boss never gets to do anything funny whenever you're the one on guard. Why can't you come?" Basho questioned. 

"Mr Nostrade wants me to go to the casino meeting to discuss the gambling business with other members of the mafia community, in place of him. He's not feeling well," Kurapika answered. 

* * *

"Basho! Basho!" Melody called out. Basho, who had an unfocused gaze to the crowd, snapped back to reality. 

"What?-"

"Boss is nowhere to be seen!" Melody frantically scanning her eyes out for a bluette. The older man smacked his forehead. 

"Again?! What happened this time?" 

"She said she wanted to get an eye shut and some privacy, so I left her backstage with Eliza. But Eliza's not saying anything about where Boss went," Melody explained. Basho gave a restrained grunt in frustration. A part of him swelled with relief that he was leaving their employment. This was the last straw. 

"You're too soft on her, Melody," he accused, "sometimes you have to say 'No' to her. The girl's a brat." He was not entirely mad at Melody though - the woman was a sweetheart. Irritation swept in him, and its target was towards Neon. The young girl had always taken advantages on Melody's kindness - albeit Melody was obviously her favourite bodyguard among all of them. Till now, Neon did not seem to remember Basho and Linssen's names. 

Melody smiled at Basho, amused at his seething exasperation. "You must understand, she's still a young girl. Her heartbeat has not always played a cheerful tune. It's erratic. Sometimes it plays a melancholic and bittersweet song, one that silently screams out for help. It's only happier when she's not restricted." 

"Pfft, teenagers," Basho scoffed.

* * *

Neon ran. She pre-rented a bicycle that was parked near the location. It was all planned. With Kurapika gone, she could escape pretty easily. 

The breeze caressed her face, making her hair fly slightly upwards, as she rode the bicycle with glee.

"Whoah, whoah!" she screeched, her heart jolting up as she lost a bit of control over the bicycle. Yet, she steadied - it's been quite some time since she manoeuvred a bicycle. She heaved a sigh - _slowly, steady... and voila!_ A two-wheeled bicycle was a piece of cake. How long had it been? Years? She was often at the back of a car seat, surrounded by bodyguards and even a secondary car following them. This moment, though small was significant - she's the only one dictating where she would go. 

* * *

She arrived at the casino.

"Ma'am, I'd like to see an ID please," the usher barricaded her from entry. She halted. 

_Shoot! I forgot about that_ \- she instinctively cursed. 

"Ma'am, if you can't produce an ID to prove that you're above 18 years old, we can't let you enter the casino," the usher stated. Even if she bring her ID, they still won't let her in - her birthday was still several weeks away. She grumbled. She was good at gambling, and she was near the age of 18, did age really matter? 

She glanced around - _there has to be another way!_ "You can place the extra costumes in here," she heard a man announced, pointing to the box of bunny costumes. Nearby, there was a group of girls wearing such costumes - they seemed to be the female workers in the casino. 

Neon smiled deviously. She knew _exactly_ how to sneak in. 

* * *

She admired herself in front of the mirror in the female bathroom. The outfit was adorable - shiny greyish-white bodysuit, fluffy wristbands, black translucent stockings, white boots and rabbit ears to go along with it. 

_I'm so keeping this for Halloween_ \- Neon thought, the outfit reminding her of that one infamous chick flick movie where the popular girl used a similar outfit for Halloween. 

_Now, time to gamble and win big. Papa thinks only Kurapika can earn money now. Hmph. He's making me sell off my flesh collection. There's no chance I'm letting that happen!_ \- the girl soliloquised, still harbouring resentment from her last encounter with her father. 

* * *

"This concludes our meeting. May our new partnership with the gambling business be a fruitful one," Kurapika commenced. The others stood from their seats, shaking hands with one another. 

"Young man, you've done a lot. Your suggestions and plans are outstanding," the older man greeted Kurapika with a handshake, "why don't you relax and book one of our girls here. It'll be our treat." 

The Kurta deduced that this was a common practice among the mafia community, or the world of businessmen. It was not the first time one of the older members offered him paid companionship of women. He was here to satisfy his thirst for vengeance, not the pleasures of the flesh. 

Each time, he comes up with an identical response: "Apologies, but I might have to decline your generous off-" 

Kurapika halted. 

He would have thought he was hallucinating, picturing his employer in a bunny costume that was meant for the comfort-waitress girls in the casino. But it was unmistakably her. 

_What the- what the hell is Neon doing here? Weren't Basho and Melody supposed to keep an eye on her?_

"A bombshell caught your eyes, son?" one of the men chuckled, assuming that the Kurta was seemingly star-struck by the blue-haired woman he was staring at. 

"Actually, thank you. I would like to book that girl over there," Kurapika said, pointing at Neon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole "Neon being in a Bunny Suit/Mistaken as a Prostitute AU" headcanon was formulated in my conversation with sweetsysy on FF aka Cb_w on AO3. I have a more slowburn version of this. Please check out her works if you want the other version of this AU. 
> 
> Strange Bedfellows is an idiom to describe an odd pairing (mainly in politics or business terms of a group/pair that are completely different but work together). Bedfellows is a term to describe people who share a bed - so huehue.


	2. The Bunny and Her Paintings

Neon was about to head to a table where a few of them were playing poker when someone gripped her arm. 

"What the heck?" she turned to the man in question, he seemed to be working in the casino. 

"You're the new girl, right? You need to work. That guy over there just booked you," he informed. 

"You're mistaken, I don't work here!" 

"Nuh-uh, you're not fooling me. Why do new girls always act like this? You're wearing one of our outfits. Now, go and serve this blonde man or risk getting fired. Frankly, I don't know why you're complaining. He's young and handsome," the employee snorted, refusing to let go of her arm. 

"Sir, you may let go of her arm now," Kurapika appeared behind Neon, giving her a jolt. She had heard Kurapika was going to a meeting but did not bother to know the location - that was her primary mistake. Kurapika held her shoulders - keeping her in place. 

"Tell him I don't work here," Neon demanded, almost sounding like a plead to Kurapika. An idea crossed Kurapika's mind - that'll teach her a lesson not to escape and make their jobs any more difficult. 

Masking a deadpan expression, Kurapika answered nonchalantly, "sir, I don't know her. All I know is that I booked her. My business associates already paid the booking fees." 

She narrowed her eyes. _So he's playing dumb._

"Oh and-" Kurapika whispered into the employer's ear. Neon wondered what the request was. 

"Yes, sure," the employer greeted, "that also comes with the room. The rooms are just straight ahead. You can just pick one of those." 

"Thank you-"

"What the heck are you guys talking about? Let me go!" 

"Miss, I'm just here to be the representative of the Nostrade mafia clan. I didn't pay you to talk," he said, still pretending to have no knowledge of her identity. In a flash, Kurapika gripped her legs, flinging her upper body over his shoulder. "What the heck!" she squealed, "put me down! I don't work here!" 

"No-" 

No matter how much Neon struggled, her head bodyguard was surprisingly strong. He kept her locked in her place. 

"Papa won't like this, I will tell him, you'll see!" 

"Yes, I'm sure Mr Nostrade would be _thrilled_ to know that his daughter wore a provocative bunny suit, posing as an escort in a casino. You're lucky that I found you first. A sleazy old man could have set his eyes on you," Kurapika countered, which shut Neon's mouth up. _He did have a point._ She could not tell her father of this incident without her mixing into trouble. 

They entered the room. He dropped her on the bed like a ragdoll. He looked around - _the man said it should be around here... Aha! Ropes._

"What on Earth do you think you're doing, you perv!" she screamed, as he used the bondage ropes to tie her to the bed frame. 

"Relax, I'm not going to do anything to you," he reassured. "I just want to make sure you won't leave until I instruct Basho and Melody to get us a car. And also-"

He scanned her outfit. Neon was always wearing fashionable clothes, but those that covered her skin. This was the first time he had a glimpse of her in a bodysuit that embraced her figure, showing her appealing curves. A flicker of arousal breeze past him, but the annoyance of her attitude dominated it. 

"And..." he continued, "fresh clothes to get you changed out of that outfit." 

"Basho?" he was making a phone call, "yes, I found Boss. She's with me. Go to the Nostrade estate and get Eliza to pick her a new set of clothes, and get us a car so that we can send her back home together. I'm in the casino. I'll message you the directions. How long will it take for you to get here? Two hours? Understood." 

"Are you just going to keep me tied up for two hours?" Neon questioned, rubbing her wrists, attempting to set herself free. 

"Yes-"

* * *

"I'm surprised that Kurapika finally booked a girl. He always refused, which was odd as I expected a teenager to be hormonal. I was beginning to think he swung the other way or that he was asexual," one of the mafia members commented, watching the young blonde whisk Neon away. 

"Maybe he has a thing for bluettes. Did you see the way he looked at the girl and carried her? The boy couldn't wait. I'm definitely sure he's just picky," another man concluded, shaking his head and laughing. 

"He's lucky he's still young. He gets to nitpick and choose. Meanwhile, old folks like us... we take whoever is available," a third man snorted, blowing a puff of his smoke, "man, it feels good to be young. In my prime, my good looks could easily beat his."

"Come on, pal. We're long-term friends. You were an eye-sore back then, you still are now," the second man chuckled, patting his friend at the back. 

* * *

Neon spent almost two hours reprimanding Kurapika's stoic nature, demanding to release her, threatening him with unemployment, until she was too exhausted and had reduced herself into mumbling and grumbling. 

"Are you even listening to me? Put down that book!" Neon commanded fiercely, but her voice was drowned out with Kurapika's unwavering attention to his reading. It was rare for the two of them to be interacting. Sure, he was always guarding her, but half the time, he was on high alert and did not want to entertain conversations with her. She was also nonchalant, not bothering to really bond with her bodyguards - except for Melody. 

To pass time, the hunter picked up a book from the stash of pile presented in the dubious room. The pile of texts contained erotic fiction - the ones he wouldn't want to read. His book of choice was the one he judged to be the least racy, a romance book that featured intimate moments at best. Being immersed into the lines, he noted that the literary text was far from romance - it was the illusion of love, shrouded in materialism and greed. The protagonist from a humble background desired to climb towards a higher social status by illegal means, in order to be on par with his subject of affections. In his wayward perception, she was a Goddess - a woman that could fill his dreams. Yet, she was far from it, a witch in the disguise of a fairy. She was a despondent girl, so fragmented and void that only riches mattered to her. Bizarrely, Kurapika was drawn to this twisted character - so much different from the bland heroine Mary Sues that plagued contemporary fiction. 

"Just because my father wants you to marry me, it doesn't give you the green light to do whatever you want with me!" she huffed, attempting to sound cut-throat, but to him, it was only the reprimands of a feisty girl that held no threat to him. Kurapika lowered his book, meeting her eyes. 

"Have you learnt your lesson about not escaping?" he questioned, his lips forming a slight smile. He was attempting to hide his amusement. Neon looked away defiantly. 

"You ought to be sensitive to others," he said, "it's Basho and Melody's last week of employment, and you're still giving them a difficult time." 

"They are?" 

Kurapika sighed. She was even unaware of that. A girl so emotionally detached with human connection that she ceased to know what was going around her. 

"Yes, they're getting retrenched. We don't have enough income yet to keep some of the staff," he explained. Light and Kurapika had been keeping the businesses and financial details to themselves; it was no surprise that Neon had no full grasp of the slump that the Nostrade family was facing. 

"Why are you even here at the casino? Why did you escape?" 

"I was going to the casino to win some prize money. I'm good at games, you know. I didn't want Papa to sell away my flesh collection," she answered, "you know... I used to... make my own fortune." 

Kurapika tried to keep his surprise. It was common for people to underestimate her - he had already taken note of that. Yet, he found himself being astounded by her unpredictability. He expected her to sit idle, selling some of her items, but it seems that she was willing to take matters into her hands. She used to be the wealth churner, because of her talent, he gave her that credit. It was also the reason why he did never criticised her indulgence with material goods - she was not spending her father's money, but rather _hers_. 

"I didn't expect to see you here," she added. 

"Mr Nostrade and I decided to shift the businesses from your fortune-telling to gambling and bodyguard services. That's why I'm at this casino with the meeting. Your father... hasn't informed you," he explained, being cautious. He was unsure if her torn father-daughter relationship consciously bothered her, only noticing her loneliness being manifested in material purchases. 

_Does she even know that her father is in bad health recently? No matter, I will leave it up to her father to tell her the truth_ \- he wondered. 

The room was growing in uncomfortable silence. 

"Tell me, Kurapika..." his name sounded weird in her tongue, she rarely called out any of her employees' names, "are you going to accept Papa's offer to be _his son-in-law_?" She phrased it oddly - excluding her involvement or marriage. 

"I... I don't know yet-" 

"You don't want to, but you need something from us!" she heartily exclaimed, like a child in a mathematics classroom who shouted the correct solution. He tensed up - she smiled. _That struck a nerve._ It served as a reminder for him never to underestimate her. She appeared as a ditzy fortune-telling girl, and half the time, not being aware of her surroundings. But she was also sharp when she _bothered_ to investigate something. 

He sucked in a breath. This was the woman he was considering of marrying? He closed his eyes - flashes of the mutilated cadavers of his clan, Pairo's beheaded body, the blood smeared all over his hometown... He'd do anything for them, even if it meant establishing a marital union with a girl he barely knows. "It's true, Mr Nostrade is also aware of that," he decided to give her his honesty. 

"You don't want to... is it because you're with someone?" she asked. They rarely talked, and she knew nothing about him. 

"No-" 

"Have you even liked someone before?" she prompted, mischief across her facial expression - the one that preyed for gossips and delicious secrets. 

"I'd rather not share-" 

"Oh, come on! You tied me up, the least you could do is entertain me. I'm bored!" she whined once more, "so... have you ever liked a girl or not? Or perhaps... a boy?" 

He raised an eyebrow. Not even his friends - Gon, Killua or Leorio were this nosey about his past love life (or the lack of it). 

"There's nothing exciting about it," he dismissed, "I... haven't talked about her, for a long time." 

"Pretty please?" she begged, her eyes rounded with pleading and her mouth slightly parted - somehow, Kurapika found that facial expression alluring on her. It was a spell, a weird sensation that he could not shake off. She often made demands and threw tantrums. Seeing her pleading... It was an unusual satisfaction for him. 

"Fine-"

"Yay!" 

"There was... this girl around my age. She lived nearby when I was a child. She was named after a flower," he narrated with a smile, a warm fuzz taking over his chest, "my best friend... he'd always tease me about her and push me to talk to her." 

"What was she like?" 

"She was... sweet, cheerful and talkative. Energetic too. A bit ditzy at times - but that was part of her charm. She had blue hair, lighter than yours. Cyan colour to be exact. It was clearer than the sky on a good day. She had bright big eyes -" 

_And they turn Scarlet whenever she gets too excited, or when she laughs_... - he decided to leave that information out. 

"So... what happened?"

"Nothing. It was a mere infatuation," he quickly dismissed it, not desiring to elaborate the topic. He buried such fleeting emotions along with his people. From his dream of going in adventures with Pairo, the gleeful moments with his newfound friends during the Hunter Exam to even a miniature feeling of fancying someone... all buried. He cannot let anything else take over. The rage ought to continue dominating him. 

"Do you know what she's doing now?" 

"No. I don't know where she is now. Please refrain from asking further questions," he answered sternly, feeling his blood boil in his head - _probably in the afterlife if that ever existed._

"Ehh... But... it seems like an interesting _tale_ ," she lamented, infuriating Kurapika further. She perceived it all as some kind of folklore, an entertainment piece to keep her away from boredom and satisfy her curiosity. She wasn't interested in getting to know him. It was all to benefit her. 

"If you wish to occupy yourself with using a person as a subject of your amusement, I suggest that you use yourself for it," he advised, uncaring of the crude implications. She was the one who crossed the line first and dared to piss him off, exploiting his sentiments for her own entertainment. It was similar to her disgusting hobby - hoarding body parts for her satisfaction. Whatever was dead, they no longer mattered to her. 

He stood up, placing his right hand on the ropes that bounded her. He gripped them tightly. Shaking the ropes with each question, he interrogated, "why didn't you retaliate when Mr Nostrade told you that he wants to make me his son-in-law? Will you get in the way if I accept the offer?" 

She cowered a bit, like a frightened rabbit whose cage had been rattled. Her heartbeat was palpitating - was it out of fear or _excitement_? Her bodyguard was often composed. Yet, his intensity towards her now was anything but calm. 

She attempted to raise her shoulders, intending to shrug them in nonchalance. The movement was restrained by the ropes. "There's nothing to talk over with Papa," she replied, simple yet effective. Before her mishap, she could use her ability as a bargaining chip for her requests, blackmailing her father to never participate in fortune-tellings. She had no cards at hand left. 

"Besides, it's just a certificate and it's for survival," she added. He paused. Again, he was making assumptions about her. Leorio often lamented about women being extremely sentimental, often insinuating the littlest details and the matters of the heart held importance to them. There was a danger to those generalisations. Neon was a deviant - not just among women but as an individual. If anything, the girl saw the world as an expensive black-and-white painting. The one that she hoards to decorate her soul to add vivid colours into it, but unable to because it lacked pigmentation to begin with. To her, a marital union was another frivolous painting to keep herself afloat. The art within it did not matter to her. She did not bother to glance at it. Perhaps _he_ was the buyer that inconvenienced himself by scrutinizing the strokes of black-and-white art, indecisive of whether it was a great addition to his life. 

"I see-" he said with a slight smirk. 

"Why are you smiling?" 

"Nothing, you remind me of _Daisy_ -" he commented vaguely, referring to the woman in the book he just read. He loosened his grip on the ropes, moving back to his seat. 

She raised an eyebrow. _Did he compare me to the girl he talked about? He said she was named after a flower._ She was slightly offended that he dared to compare her to anyone. _Okay, let's not stress over that -_ she brushed it off, not desiring to trouble herself with dusty powdery details. 

His gaze fell to the book again, but this time, his vision was not fixated on the words. He couldn't help but juxtapose the girl's appearance and her personality: a beautiful, yet withered flower indeed. Gleaming tiffany blue eyes with matching hair that was curtains to her face. A feathery smile like the furs on her costume that _dared him to confirm_ if they were as soft as they looked. Especially the rounded tail at the back. _Maybe if he could steal a touch without her noticing_ \-- 

"What time is it now-?"

"Are Boso and Melody coming anytime soon-?" 

"Can you untie me-?"

"Boss, his name is Basho. At least memorise his name before he resigns," he corrected. _This girl... their names did not even matter._

"And please be silent. I'd like to continue reading in peace."

"If you wanted to read your book, then why'd you keep staring at me?" 

_Whoops. He got caught._

"It's because you're a _distraction_ ," he said, but slightly panicked at the implication, "you keep talking to me. Please be quiet." 

_A smooth save._

There was knocking on the door. "That should be them, I'll go get it," he rose up from his seat. He took the book with him. 

"Not a word to any of them about the marriage offer," he warned before opening the door.

"Thank goodness you found Boss. How did you-". His colleagues stopped in their tracks, seeing their Boss in a state. 

Kurapika raised his hand, pointing a finger up to indicate silence, "before any of you start making assumptions, I did not do anything except restraining her." 

"But why is she...?" Melody attempted to phrase her words better, perplexed at the bunny costume their Boss was donned in. 

"I found her in this casino, posing as one of the escorts. She attempted to sneak in to gamble. The mafia members offered me to book a girl, I was about to say no when I saw her. I pretended to book her so that no one else could. I wanted to shift her here so that she can be out of sight," he explained pragmatically. 

Melody was already untying Neon. The girl rubbed her wrist, relieved of the friction. "Boss, I've got a set of clothes here. Kurapika... Basho... please leave the room to give her some privacy," Melody instructed and they followed through. 

* * *

While waiting, Basho was tapping his foot in agitation, glancing over at Kurapika repeatedly. His knitted eyebrows hinted disapproval of _something_. He opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was dry. This was odd for a poet like him, who was the master of flowing words. 

"Kurapika, not to imply anything, but..." 

"What? Spit it out-"

"Why did you tie Boss up? You didn't need to do that. We've never done that no matter how much she struggled," Basho questioned, his face contorted with irk. 

"I did not want her to make a fuss. Besides, the number of times she attempted to escape are too many to count. This ought to teach her a lesson and maybe it'll be effective to deter her from such behaviour in the future," Kurapika reasoned, without hesitation. 

The older man continued to stare at him in surprise and worry. "What is it?" Kurapika questioned, uncertain of the man's hostile reaction towards him. 

"Do you seriously... not know how _wrong_ your thinking is? You've restrained a girl and believe it's a form of discipline. I'm concerned. I know you're a chain user and all, but I didn't expect you to be-"

"I think you should be concerned with yourself. Get your mind out of the gutter," Kurapika interrupted, vexed that Basho had even accused him of such hedonistic whims. He's not a hormonal teenager, right?

"Right, sorry-"

"It's fine-" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) The girl that Kurapika talks about is a reference to Botan from Yu Yu Hakusho (because, well, who knows what her past life is). Botan is named after Peony, which is a type of flower. 
> 
> 2) Daisy is a female character from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I have been reading it because the character reminded me of Neon a bit. Neon misunderstood when Kurapika said that she reminds him of Daisy, thinking that he was referring to the girl that he mentioned (because Botan is also named after a flower), when in fact, he was referring to the character in the book (whom he is also drawn to - hint hint, huehue). 
> 
> 3) Kurapika doesn't know it yet, but Basho knows what's up. 
> 
> I don't know when I can update because I have Character x Reader writing requests (which I only post on Wattpad), but I wanted to post this I guess. I really started to like this pairing a lot and I was hoping that there was more content about it. Until I went like, "Fine, I'll do it myself".


	3. Agreement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Author's Notes below will contain minor spoilers for the manga chapters that are not animated yet.

"This is the _boy_?" a visitor in his late 30s pointed at Kurapika, arching an eyebrow. Kurapika shifted in discomfort when he felt the man scanned him with judgmental eyes. 

The visitor was wearing a tailored tuxedo, with a Rolex watch and shiny shoes to match. His outfit was enough to indicate that he came from a family with wealth.   
  
Light laughed it off, "yes, don't be fooled by appearances. He's a great head bodyguard." The visitor stared, unconvinced.   
  
"Ah yes, let me introduce both of you formally," Light turned to Kurapika, "Kurapika, this is Roman Dubois. A long-term family friend."   
  
"Just Kurapika?" Roman enquired, extending a hand. Kurapika hesitantly accepted it, "yes." 

"No surnames?" 

"I don't have one-" 

The Kurta clan did not have official family names. They lived in a small-knitted community, away from mainstream society. There was no need for such names to be segregated and identified with by families, as they saw themselves as members of a whole clan. 

"That's... peculiar," Roman said. Kurapika squinted his eyes. Of course, people like him would fail to understand the different customs in ethnic minorities and pass it off as nothing but an oddball because it doesn't fit into their box of familiarity. 

"Is there a problem with that?" he countered. 

"Nothing, there's no issue-" Roman eyed the tabard that Kurapika was wearing, before shifting his attention back to Light, "where's Neon? I have not seen her since she was a young girl." 

"She went shopping with her attendants and one of my bodyguards at the mall," Light answered. 

His friend looked stunned, "but given your situation, I thought you'd put her in a tight budget." 

"Err... well... I did, you know her, she's persuasive like her mother. She said it was Eliza, one of her attendants, who wished to spend a bit more time with the other attendant - a woman named Iris- because Iris is resigning. Eliza... has been down because her boyfriend passed. Neon wanted to keep her in high spirits. Since the new business model Kurapika had devised was gradually rolling out income, I figured it wouldn't hurt to give her some allowance," Light explained. 

_You mean... Squala was murdered_ \- Kurapika thought. Perhaps his employer wanted to leave out the grotesque details. It was difficult to explain to the devastated Eliza that the Phantom Troupe probably murdered her boyfriend. Even Light sometimes decides to cut Eliza some slack, knowing her grievance. It seemed to have affected Neon a lot too. The sight of Eliza breaking down shocked her to the core - she never wanted to see someone in that state again. It was unfamiliar. It was uncomfortable. _It's unbelievable that Neon would prioritise Eliza's feelings, given that she didn't give a damn that Dalzollene and the other bodyguards died. But perhaps she is closer to her attendants_ \- Kurapika concluded. 

"You can't pamper young women all the time. It's similar to wild horses and apples. You give the apples all at once, and they will retreat. If you give it once in a while, get them close, and ignore them sometimes... you know how that works," Roman said. Light forced a smile, while Kurapika attempted to hide his irkness at the extreme dehumanising metaphor. Kurapika realised that the mafia community often treated people, particularly women, as a commodity - just as how his clan's eyes were viewed as such. 

Even Light's offer in Neon's hand in marriage for Kurapika's title... it was in a similar vein. 

"She's going to be 18, yes? By December," Roman asked, puffing out a cigar. 

"Yes-" 

"She's quite young, isn't she?" 

"I'm home!" as if on cue, the subject of the conversation arrived at the front door. Eliza, Iris, and Melody followed suit, carrying shopping bags in their arm. It was not as many as she would used to buy before their financial crisis, but Neon looked satisfied - perhaps, even more cheerful than usual. 

"Ah- Neon, do you remember Roman? My friend. He visited a few times since you were little," Light said, gesturing at his friend. 

"Uh, nope, I don't remember-" 

"Your father mentioned that you have a strange hobby. I saw the decoration of a _real man_ on the wall," Roman asked the young woman. 

"Uhh... yeah. The previous head bodyguard said he screwed up in his last operation," she shrugged. 

They nervously laughed it off. "I have some business to discuss with my friend," Light said. Kurapika followed suit, as if on queue, but his employer raised a hand. 

"In private," he added. Kurapika nodded in response and stopped following them. 

* * *

"I wanted to visit you because I heard that you were in dire need of help," Roman said. They were in Light's study room. 

"Uhh... yes. But we're fine now. We just need to hold out for about a month more," Light responded. His friend looked at him sceptically. 

"You seemed concerned about something," Light continued, "our family has been friends for decades. It won't hurt to voice out your honest opinions." 

"It's just... That boy. Are you certain that he's the one you're choosing to inherit..." Roman gestured at the air, "... all of this? How old is he even?" 

"He's 18, slightly older than Neon-" 

"And he's not one of us, isn't he?" 

"That never... really bothered me-" 

"You don't even know where he's from. Don't you think that he might be trying to hide it from you?" his friend observed. 

"You have to give him credit despite his age. He did save me from being in the dumps," Light defended, "as for his ethnicity... I'm sure we're way past the era where one's heritage roots play a large factor in the family business. The boys from the younger generation of our people... they grow up with a silver spoon. They're soft. Weak. A boy from poverty might know what's it like to earn their place. He's also a hunter. Not many can achieve that. A man from privilege or without formal extensive training certainly cannot."

"I guess you have a point... So, what does the boy think... about all of this?" 

"He seems... reluctant. Maybe he's seeing another woman, or not looking to settle down yet. My daughter can be quite a pain at times. Frankly, I don't know if he's going to accept it. I'm like a ticking time-bomb. I don't know... who else is an alternative," Light rambled, taking a cigar on his lips and anxiously held out a lighter. Upon a few failed tries, Roman assisted him in light the cigar. "Thanks," he said. 

Roman stroked his chin, in deep thought, he spoke, "perhaps it's time to forge our two family ties deeper through a marital union." 

"But you... only have two adult daughters. Your son is still a child-" 

"I meant, me, Light-" 

"Don't you have a wife already?" 

"Ahh, I forgot to inform you. I've recently been divorced-" 

"I... err... am not sure about this-"

"Come on, Light," he placed a shoulder, "our families have been well-acquainted. You know you can trust me. You know how I run businesses. What's a friend to an employee?" 

Light closed his eyes. "Fine," he yielded, "but only if Kurapika rejects the offer. He'll be a _consigliere_ working under you." 

"Sure," Roman twitched his lips a little, slightly discontented that he's classified as an alternative. Moreover, Light still wanted Kurapika to be a _consigliere_ , an advisor to the leader of the Nostrade family. 

"I'll call Neon here to discuss it-" 

* * *

Kurapika was alone in his room. He was preparing a rest. It was almost an hour past midnight. He recollected the day, finding it odd how a random visitor just dropped by the Nostrade mansion. He disliked Roman Dubois instantly - he seemed like the type of person to be sharp, mentally gearing his head to analyse his opponent. Not to mention, the air of elitism he gives off. _I bet if Light was not there, the bastard would have tried to pry into my life, asking where I'm from_ \- he shook off the feelings of irritation. Perhaps this man won't be coming by anytime soon. 

Just as he was about to close his eyes, he heard a faint knock on the door. Who could have disturbed him at such an ungodly hour? 

"Boss?" he was surprised to see Neon in his room. His eyes lingered a bit at her thin blouse and tiny shorts - a little too revealing for sleepwear. 

"What are you doing here?" he whispered. He was nervous. Having a woman here, not to mention his Boss, in his room alone... that might lead to some misunderstandings. She stormed into his room, unwelcomed. 

In addition, he took out his coloured contact lenses already. He needs to be careful with his emotions now - a slight aggravation may cause his eyes to change colour. 

She sat on his bed without permission, which Kurapika found rather insincere. Now, his whole nerves were blaring. _Wha-what on Earth?_

"You have to accept Papa's offer. You must," she went straight to the point. 

"Why?" 

"I had a talk with Papa and his friend just now. He says if you don't, then I'll have to marry his friend and you'll be a _consigliere_. His friend and I were left alone to talk," she stated, which earned a distressed look from the blond. 

"Did he do anything?" he immediately asked. 

"No... nothing, really-"

"Are you sure? He didn't harm you or do anything... weird?" _Did he touch her?_ \- that was what Kurapika wanted to find out. 

"No, nothing drastic. We just talked. I just don't like the way he talks to me. He says my collection is distasteful, that I shop too much and would want to change my habits through... I don't know what he calls it - _conditioning_? What does he take me for? A dog?" she pouted. 

While Kurapika agreed that flesh collecting is a disgusting hobby - at least Roman shares a common conception as him - that would spell trouble. If he has to work under Roman, then his operation to collect the Scarlet Eyes would crash and burn. Furthermore, it will be a pain to work with someone who already has suspicions of his origin. Being a _consigliere_ only meant he could advise, not make the final decisions. That would take a lot of pain in persuasion and manipulation. Risky too. 

"I want to do whatever I want! I don't know what's up with _all of you_ being controlling about the way I do things-" 

"What? _Me_?" Kurapika could not help but get offended that she was lumping him with such _scums_. He remembered the unpleasant allegory that Roman had said about horses and women. 

She shrugged, "yeah, all the times where you'd tell me 'we can't go here' or 'you can't do that' because 'it's too dangerous' and 'your father said'." She mimicked his speech. 

"I forbid you to go into such locations or participate in certain activities when I deem that it would compromise your safety or if it goes against your father's wishes. He is my employer after all. I have valid reasons, unlike Mr Dubois or others who wish to control others because he finds it unappealing," he defended. 

"Then what about the time when you tied me up?"

"Boss, that's because I did not want you to make a fuss and that you've escaped too many times-" 

"See? You only wanted to do that so that I don't have to do it again the next time," she countered, "how is that any different?" 

There was a sly smile on her face. He was taken aback. At that time, it seemed like a good idea to teach her a lesson. But now... he's second-guessing himself. It's coming to bite him back, and she was proving what he wanted to deny. He didn't like how she was bantering with him, and that he was losing. _Calm down, I need to stop getting so jittery. My eyes cannot turn Scarlet right now._

"As I said, escaping would render you without bodyguards and that would compromise your safety. I do wish you would at least refrain from doing so," Kurapika finally replied, it did not seem convincing, but he continued, "everything else you do is none of my concern." 

She eyed him for a bit, before beaming, "so... if you do accept Papa's offer, you'd be okay with my hobbies? I still want to keep my collection and I want to shop with my heart's content!" 

He nodded, "so long as it doesn't exceed the budget. Please keep in mind that we're only starting to get stable income." 

"That's okay... Better than being betrothed to his friend. He seems like a control freak," she said. 

"Not to mention, _he's old and ugly_ ," she added, being casually honest with such crude but factual words. It made Kurapika choke, trying to hold his amusement and stifled laughter. She continued, "if I have to marry someone, at least that person should be young and _handsome._ " 

He stiffened at the implication of her last word. Did she really think he was pleasant-looking? The thought gave him confidence. Recovering, he _proposed_ , "I suggest we make an agreement over this." He needed to ensure that she would not be a liability in his mission. 

"Okay!" she eagerly nodded, "my first condition would be that my hobbies won't be something you will control other than the budget or for safety reasons." 

"That's fine by me," he replied, "in return, I would need you to stay clear of business decisions unless you have proper suggestions. Even if you did, the final decision goes to your father and me." 

She waved her hand, and gave an irked expression, "I'm not interested in these boring business stuff anyway."

"Oh ya! I want a wedding dress!" she snapped her fingers, gasping, "I've always wanted to wear one. Papa mentioned that it might be better to hold a wedding ceremony and reception anyway. He says it's to let people know who will be taking over him and it's like a gathering for people." 

Kurapika closed his eyes. A ceremony filled with mafia community... The preparation would also be a headache. _But if it's to let the mafia community know that I will be the leader of the Nostrade family.._. "Fine, but we're only holding it after the businesses have been stable and you don't go overboard with the wedding dress. After your birthday, we'll sign the certificate first. In exchange, I want co-ownership of all properties upon our marriage." 

"What do you mean?" she gave a perplexed look, "I thought you'd own everything once we're married." 

"Let me be clear, of _all_ properties. That includes the Nostrade mansion, the financial instruments, the vehicles, family heirlooms, and..." he listed other items first so that it wouldn't be obvious what he was aiming for, " _the collection_." 

"You mean the dead body parts I own, the animal taxidermy, the art paintings or antiques around the house?" she clarified. 

_I only want the eyes of my brothers and sisters. They're rightfully mine, not yours._ "All of them," he lied to cover his intentions.

"Hmph, you're greedy," she blatantly accused, poking him at his arm, "but I guess that's okay! Why that though? Do you have a hobby of collecting too?" 

"You can say that I'm starting to have an _interest_ ," he vaguely said. It was the half-truth. 

She clapped her hands together and smiled, "that's great! It's nice for someone to share the interest with me! The ones I know who are flesh collectors are weird creeps or history nerds - oh and hey! There's an underground exhibit for collectors soon. Sometimes people would bid for what they want. Papa doesn't really allow me to go there because the place is shady. Do you want to go with me? You can persuade Papa to take me there. Since you're the head bodyguard, I'm sure it'll be safer if I'm with you." 

His mouth parted slightly open. _At last, the decision to stay here and months of hard work has paid off._ _If at least one of the eyes of my people is there..._

"When is it?" he asked. 

"December, slightly after my birthday-" 

_Tight deadline. I would need to ensure the businesses work._ \- Kurapika thought. 

"We should have enough money to afford that by then. Please refrain from spending too much-"

"Okay~" 

"Is there anything else?" Kurapika questioned. She shifted a little. 

"Well... besides a wedding dress, I want a wedding gift! I've seen women from the TV and magazines... traditionally, couples will give a gift to each other -" 

_This girl... and she says I'm the greedy one._ "Alright, what kind of present do you want?" he asked. 

"Back in September... we lost the Scarlet Eyes. I really want them-" 

_That's right. Squala died, and one of my brethren's eyes that I had bidded 2.9 billion with was nowhere to be found. If I manage to get one in the guise of a wedding gift..._

Unknown to them, the one they had lost was just a mere copy that Kortopi made. He did not expect the topic of the Scarlet Eyes to surface so quickly. With Neon being a flesh collector, it will be a great camouflage. Perhaps it was really a good decision to sign the marriage certificate with Neon. 

"You are aware that I said I want co-ownership, right?" he clarified. 

"Yep, no problem! We'll own them _together_! I just really want them back..." 

_Don't you dare treat the eyes of my people as properties, woman._ "Then it's settled. We'll try to find it during the exhibition that you're talking about," he said. 

"Yay!" she threw her hands up in triumph, like a child who had won a prize in a claw crane machine in the arcade, "quid pro quo, is there anything you want?" 

He paused. He needs to ensure that the power and the Scarlet Eyes stays with him: " _you don't get to divorce me_ , until I agree to it. In the case of divorce or... death, I want us to sign a prenuptial agreement, stating clearly how each of the properties would be separated to us. I want to be the one who will be in charge of that. I will ensure that it's a fair division of wealth." 

He did not want the case where they would have to fight over the Scarlet Eyes and other assets that he had worked so hard for. 

"How stingy and you said you weren't controlling," she huffed, "it's not like we'll have any reasons for a divorce anyway. Those are usually for those that marry _out of love_ and they fall apart. Just be nice to me, let me do whatever I like within the limits we agreed to and all will be good. But if you're _that_ paranoid, we can sign it. You can handle the lawyer-ry details, I'm just going to read and sign it." 

It was a good thing that she was nonchalant about certain topics. 

"Now you have to promise. Don't break it!" 

He mentally rolled his eyes. "Hold your pinky up," he instructed. 

"Like this?" Neon mimicked his movement. 

"One of my friends taught me the way they make promises in their homeland," he said, referring to Gon. It was actually the inspiration he got for his Judgment Chain on his pinky finger - the deathly bind that ensures people that they do whatever they are told or otherwise, they die. 

Kurapika then wraps his pinky finger around hers. She jumped slightly at the contact. He explained monotonously, "then they sing these words while swaying the pinky: _Pinky swear made whoever breaks their promise has to swallow a thousand needles_."

She giggled at the explanation. "You sound like a robot while saying it! Be more enthusiastic," she demanded, "let me try-" 

" _Pinky swear made whoever breaks their promise has to swallow a thousand needles~,_ " she said in a singsong manner, swaying their pinky hold. Kurapika said nothing, but followed the motion. 

"Next, they say: _Seal it with a..._ _kiss_ ," he instructed hesitantly, suddenly regretting to introduce the idea, "then our thumbs meet together." 

She let out another adorable chuckle. It was strange, but Kurapika's heart leapt a little at the sound of it. 

"Okay! _Seal it with a kiss~!_ " she chanted, and did what he instructed. He felt his cheeks heat up a little, uncomfortable with the contact. He managed to look into her eyes, wondering what is her reaction to it. Unlike him, she was not embarrassed or weirded out. Her eyes were focused on their fingers linked together, with innocent curiosity. That made Kurapika relaxed, perhaps he was overthinking it. _Goddamn it, calm down. Why am I getting so strung over this? I cannot afford to blow my cover by getting my eyes turned._ He broke off their contact. 

"You make sure you keep the promise, or you'll be swallowing needles!" she repeated, as she rose up from his bed. 

"You'll tell Papa that you accept his offer first thing in the morning, 'kay? Nights, Kurapika!" she was holding the doorknob, on her way out. 

"Good night, Boss-" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Kurapika doesn't know it yet but he's a control freak and has a discipline kink to tame Neon's bratty attitude lmao (this is just my headcanon based on their personalities and how I'd imagine their sexual interaction would be). There's not much sexual elements yet, but in the later chapters. For now, it's just foreshadowing kekkeke. 
> 
> 2\. I don't want to use OCs too much, I only use them when I need them for a purpose. Roman Dubois (I picked a random Italian name and French surname because Nostrade seems to be Italian-French influenced) only served as a role to push KuraNeon to agree to marry each other. Also, someone needs to address Pika's ethnicity because dude wore his tabard in the whole 3 seasons and nobody ever questioned it. I also think ethnicity can be questioned in affiliated rich families a lot. But yeh, this dude won't appear again in the next chapter. 
> 
> 3\. If I'm not wrong, Kurapika does not have a surname. People assume it's Kurta because that's the name of the clan. However, clan members do not necessarily take the clan name as their surname like Bonolenov Ndongo. Besides, if his surname is truly Kurta, he can't reveal that information. Though I heard in a drama CD track, he introduced himself as Yukino Kurapikano(?)
> 
> 4\. Originally I wanted to put Neon's birthday in August for her to be a Leo girl, but then, that would mess up the timeline because the events in the auction were in September. Most countries' legal age to marry is 18. Neon's birthday has to between October to December. Babygurl gonna be a Sagittarius then, I still think it fits her and Sagittarius pairs up with Aries (Kurapika's sign) kinda well. The horoscope thing will be significant later on. 
> 
> 5\. I rewatched the Phantom Troupe arc again in the 2011 adaptation and the fake Scarlet Eyes would have already disappeared within 24 hours, which Melody and the others thought that it was stolen. However, in the manga chapters, Kurapika mentioned "daughter of a mafia leader" as one of the previous Scarlet Eyes owners (which is likely Neon). Some people think it's a discrepancy and that maybe Togashi forgot about this detail, but I think it's possible that Neon bought another one, or "the daughter" is not referring to her (most likely it's her). That's why I'm using the "wedding gift" to dispel the so-called discrepancy. 
> 
> 6\. There's a lot of events that happened for Kurapika off-screen after the Phantom Troupe arc that we don't know about, so I'm taking a lot of guesses and trying to imagine what could have happened along with the KuraNeon marriage theory. 
> 
> 7\. I don't know if it's just me, but I find hxh fanfics slightly harder to write because there's so many details and the characters are multi-layered. I'm just going to try my best, ya. 
> 
> 8\. My school semester is going to start soon so this might get slow updates. I have some work to do as well.


	4. Princess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I followed Kurapika's age based on the indication that it was his 19th birthday by April 2000 in the Hunterpedia. The events that happened during the YorkNew City arc was around August to September 1999. That's why I set Neon and Kurapika's age as 18 in this fiction (they also indicated that they are born in the same year). But I realised there is a bit of a discrepancy - the same Hunterpedia also stated that Kurapika and Neon are born in 1982, meaning that they would have been 17 in the year 1999. I checked both sources and they are cited from the same source, which was the Official Databook. So it's either the Official Databook messed it up or someone who did the Hunterpedia page messed up the dates. The discrepancy is also labelled as "dubious canonicity"/"conflicting information". I think I'm just going to go with my official plan that they are 18 years old by the time of YorkNew City arc because you need to be 18 and above to get married without parental consent. Technically Light can just give it a green light to their marriage if parental consent is needed, but I figured that it's gonna need editing in the previous chapters so I will just leave it as it is.

"I'm glad that you've made up your mind, even setting up a few terms and conditions with Neon early, and setting up a date in an exhibition to buy her a wedding gift," Light Nostrade said, seemingly satisfied, "we'll have you sign the marriage license and then the certificate after the ceremony. As well as the other relevant documents."

_The prenuptial agreement._

He inquired, "when am I meeting your parents? Do they know about your decision? I would like to have a chat with them over dinner."

Kurapika was flabbergasted. He did not take into account that his employer would be interested to be acquainted with his prospective in-laws. Hesitantly, he answered in a low tone, "there's... no need for that. My parents are... they're no longer here. I've been on my own ever since." He figured that telling the truth would be better. 

It was Light's turn to look horrified as if he had opened Pandora's box. He was too joyous over the good news, that he did not consider such a possibility. "I..." he opened his mouth to speak, "I'm sorry, Kurapika. I wasn't aware." 

"Don't be, it was a long time ago-" he lied. _It still matters. It is the reason why I'm here now._

"Wherever they are, I'm sure they are proud of the man you became to be," the older man said, patting Kurapika on the shoulder.

 _Will they be really proud of me? I'm going to be the leader of a mafia family organisation. I'm sorry, this is not the son you've hoped for but I am doing this for you_ \- Kurapika thought bitterly but nodded anyway. 

"I'm glad that you'll be joining my family, son-"

"Thank you, sir-"

"Please, call me father from now on-"

Kurapika could only nod. 

_Calling him father... Family... A mafia family_ \- Kurapika thought doubtfully. The Nostrades is a broken one. A daughter that had a poor bringing by a father who is power-hungry. A lack of a motherly presence. A dead brother. This is _not_ his family. He lost his family in a massacre. Nobody can replace his parents and his clan. _That was his one and only family._

He rose from his chair to leave. 

"Wait, just one more thing," Light said. Kurapika halted. His prospective father-in-law pulled a drawer and in his palm, was a small velvet box. He set it gently on the table and opened it. In it, sat a ring with a squarish light-blue stone, with smaller gems in its perimeter. 

He explained, "it's a family ring. My mother passed it down to my wife, which was used to be from my grandmother, and so on. If my wife was alive, she would have given that to Neon herself. Give it to Neon on her birthday as an engagement ring. I won't be here on her birthday. I have to pay my wife and my son a visit." 

_Right... Their death anniversary coincides with Neon'_ _s birthday. Does Mr Nostrade even celebrate his daughter's birthday? I doubt so_ \- Kurapika pondered and took the box. 

"Noted, I will. Thank you, si- I mean..." he held his tongue for a moment, " _father_." 

"When do I need to inform Linssen and-"

"Don't worry about that," Light interrupted, "I will explain the situation to the employees after you sign the documents, whoever is remaining."

* * *

"Basho, once the new businesses are stable and the Nostrade family is faring well, I will hire you and Melody again," Kurapika said to him, as they stood outside the manor, loading up his luggage in a car.

Basho scoffed, "if it's taking care of that girl again, I'd have to pass."

"If it's another type of job that doesn't involve Neon, would you accept?" the blond asked.

"So, it's 'Neon' now instead of 'Boss', eh?" Basho teased, "I'm starting to think you're only sucking up to Mr Nostrade to get his daughter."

This caused Kurapika to tense up. The older man laughed, patting Kurapika's shoulder, "I'm just messing with you. I know why you're staying." Basho had his suspicions a few days prior to the auction that happened in September. Kurapika decided to tell him. 

"I do have to ask - I saw her walking out of your room the other night," Basho said in a low voice like he was buzzing in a little dirty secret, "is there something... going on?" 

Kurapika closed his eyes. _Damn it, this is what I was concerned about. Why did she have to visit my room at an odd timing?_ "It's nothing, nothing happened," he answered simply. 

Basho looked at him sceptically, stroking his chin, "I don't believe you." 

"What's the point in asking me when you're already set on believing your own narrative? Nothing happened, it's up to you to believe it. I am telling the truth," he defended, slightly agitated. 

The older man laughed, amused at the reaction of the head bodyguard. Kurapika was an easy target of light-hearted banter. "Maybe Melody will know - hey! Melody!" he called out. 

"Wait, stop! I'll tell you, but swear to me you won't tell anyone-" 

* * *

"Are you serious?!" 

Kurapika nodded. Basho's mind was having a total erupted meltdown. He started cursing in his own native language, before bursting out of laughter like a hyena. The Kurta stared at him with a stern expression, unhappy to be the subject of humour. 

"Are you done amusing yourself?" he said curtly. 

"No, this is too good," Basho shook his head, still recovering from his fit of guffaw, "good luck man, you'll need it. Being married to the spoiled little rich girl with daddy issues... that's a _lot_ of work. But hey, if that's what you're into, you do you." 

Kurapika rolled his eyes, nostrils flared, "cut the nonsense. I'm doing this because it's beneficial for both of us. It'll be easier to obtain the eyes of my people this way and she does not end up with someone else that may not treat her well." 

"Yeah, yeah," he dismissed, teasing the younger man, "that's what you tell yourself. I think deep down you'd always have a thing for her. It seems like the high-maintenance ones are your type." 

"I do _not_ ," Kurapika replied, indignant, "unlike you who have affections for Melody." 

Basho halted, a little surprised that Kurapika dared to have a comeback. 

"What? You think I didn't notice?" Kurapika pressed on. 

"She's a sweetheart. I can't help it," Basho said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders, "at least I'm not denying it. Heck, she probably already suspects from my heartbeat. So... you don't want Melody to know that you're engaged to Neon?"

"No-"

"Why not?"

"I don't want her to worry. She also might tell my friends about it. The last thing I want is them giving me a lecture about my decisions-" _Especially Leorio. He's going to talk about how it isn't appropriate to marry into money and power... but what choice do Neon and I have?_ He remembered that during the Hunter Exam, he tried to lecture about Leorio when the latter claimed he wanted to be a hunter for money. Leorio was right, in many ways. Money does solve a lot of problems, including Kurapika's mission to collect the Eyes. 

"When is it?"

"Early next year. We have yet to set a day. Why?"

"If you're not planning to invite your friends, who are going to be your groomsmen? Linssen can't be the only one. It's bad enough that you're not letting your friends come, at least I can help you out. What do you say?" Basho nudged him. 

Kurapika did agree that the wedding ceremony would have been fun if his friends attended. They would be eating good food, dancing, giving well-wishes... but this was... work. It was another means towards his goal. It was not a flimsy celebration or a fun gathering. 

"Fine, I will send you the invitation-"

"Alright!" he pumped his fist in the air, "I'm going to see my strict and ill-tempered Leader get married to our Boss who is suffering from _gong zhu bing_. I can't miss that for the world."

"Go-gong... zhu...?" Kurapika struggled to pronounce the foreign phrase. 

"It means princess syndrome," Basho translated, "because, well, you know how she is. That's _gong zhu bing_. In my country, we have a similar term for a character troupe - _himidere_." 

Kurapika was bewildered by the phrases. He had seen Neon enough to be aware of the girl's propensity for materialism and spoilt attitude, but was it really fair to put her in labels like that? Moreover, can he match up to her challenging personality? _No, I already made up my decision. It's for the best. Besides, Neon is more likely to behave whenever I'm the one guarding her because I never cave in to her wishes, no matter how much she threw a tantrum. That was the purpose of the agreement with her last night. She shouldn't get in my way. If she did... I'd cross that bridge when that happens._

"I don't think it's as problematic as what you make it sound to be, Basho. You're overestimating my capabilities as a head bodyguard. How many times did she escape when she was under my watch, as compared to yours?" he asked a rhetorical question. 

"Oh yeah, sure you handle her well alright. You just tie her up whenever it suits you," Basho countered, widening his eyes and giving a funny, mocking expression. 

"You're never going to let that die down, aren't you?" 

"That's why I'm excited about the wedding, I want to see how it turns out." 

"I will invite you. Let me make myself clear though," Kurapika cut him off, "not a word to Melody. Linssen will know after Boss and I sign the documents." The older man nodded. 

"Hello, wait up!" 

Ah, speak of the devil. 

Basho whistled _Here Comes The Bride_ tune softly, earning a glare from Kurapika. Kurapika stepped on Basho's shin. He chuckled at the teenager's annoyed response. Melody was walking behind her. 

Neon skipped over to them, stopping in front of Basho and tip-toeing slightly to match his tall height. "You're... the bodyguard... Ba-Basho, right?" it was obvious that she had a hard time remembering his name. 

"Yes-" 

"Oh!" she smiled and offered him a shopping bag, "this is for you." 

Basho looked at her, puzzled. 

"Well? Take it!" she insisted, dangling the shopping bag. 

"Uhh... okay," he responded, uncertain. He looked at Kurapika for an explanation, but the teenager just shrugged his shoulders. 

"I was shopping yesterday with Iris, Eliza and Melody. I bought something for Iris, then Eliza suggested that I should do the same for other employees who were resigning. I don't know what you like so I let Melody and Eliza pick the farewell gifts. So don't blame me if you don't like it!" she explained. 

_Of course, it wasn't her idea to give thoughtful presents to employees that she doesn't even bother to remember their names. She doesn't know them sufficiently to pick the presents either, effectively taking credit from her employees who did the work for her_ \- Kurapika mentally noted, a little disappointed but not surprised. 

"I did pick the design of the gift box myself though!" she announced proudly. When she did not move from her place, Basho took it as a cue for him to open the gift. It was obvious that the girl wanted to witness his reaction. He opened the box, revealing two high-quality brushes. This could be proven useful for his poetry. 

"I uhh..." Basho mumbled, looking all remorseful for all those times where he felt irritated by Neon and shenanigans, "thank you, Boss." He bowed slightly. 

"Make sure you use them, okay?" she reminded him, giving a thumb's up. 

"Uhh, yeah..." he said awkwardly. Satisfied, Neon decided to leave the three bodyguards. 

"Some _princess_ , huh?" Kurapika started, giving a slightly smug look at Basho. He probably felt guilty after all the criticisms he had been giving the girl. 

"She's happy whenever she shops, especially when she was shopping gifts for people," Melody chimed in, "her heartbeat yesterday was even more upbeat and genuine than the times she shops for herself." 

_So that's why Neon looked happier yesterday despite buying fewer items._ The girl had always buried herself in spending as a therapeutic coping mechanism, but it never seemed to satisfy her. _Each time she buys something, the joyride expires, it becomes an ordinary item that she may not even use. Giving someone else though..._

"There are studies that show that people are happier when they are spending their money on someone, as compared to spending on themselves," Kurapika commented in a-matter-of-fact tone. 

"Alright, alright. Maybe underneath all the glam and complaints, she's a good kid," Basho smiled, all proud and happy like a man seeing his daughter graduate, "I should get something for missy in December. Take care of her, Kurapika. I'm gonna miss this place."

* * *

"Boss-"

He entered her room on her birthday and she welcomed him. Neon was sitting on her bed, which was crowded with books and stuffed toys. She tapped on the bed and said, "sit."

Kurapika violently shook his head, images of his encounter with her in his room weeks ago surfaced. Neon might be comfortable with them sitting on the same bed but definitely not him. To him, here was something... off about doing that.

"Come on, I insist-"

"No-"

"Just sit!"

"I don't think that's necessary-"

"What's so wrong about it?"

 _It feels wrong_ \- he groaned.

"Nothing, nothing is wrong with it-"

"That's right, there's nothing wrong with it. Unless..." she gave him a playful smile, "you're thinking of something wrong that makes you not want to join me on the bed."

He breathed in frustration. He was not in the mood for her unnecessary games. He sat down to disprove her point. "I want to give you something on your birthday," he said.

"Oh goodie! Okay, show it to me!"   
  


He showed the box, opening it and revealing the family heirloom ring to her. She was delighted, and squealed, "you got it for me?" 

"Technically, it was your father who wanted me to give it to you. This is the family heirloom ring. It belonged to your mother. Now, it's your engagement ring," he explained. 

The light in her eyes dimmed after hearing him. "Ohh," she said in a downcasted tone, chewing her lower lip. He tried not to frown. _You don't seem pleased. I already promised you a wedding dress, a ceremony, and a gift. A wedding gift which is a set of my brethren's eyes. If people like you didn't have that repulsive hobby, my clan may have been alive. You indirectly took my home. I've given you financial security when you no longer can provide it. What more do you want from me?_ He took out the ring, taking her left hand, and placed it on her ring finger, like how Light instructed. 

She stared at it, seemingly unimpressed and desolated. "This is the first time... Papa gave me something on this day," she muttered, "he's always... not here. He always visits my mother and my twin brother's grave on my birthday, because they died on the very day I was born. It's a custom for people to not celebrate anything on a death anniversary." He did feel slightly sorry for her. _Slightly._ She was a girl that lacked a father - she was his golden-goose, a ticket to his gain power in the underworld, and in one night, due to her carelessness, she was useless to him once more. A part of Kurapika could not blame her for her uncharitable and insensitive nature, for the one that raised her was the same. 

When Kurapika said nothing, she continued, "I don't get it. Why do people mourn for the dead so much? They're dead. _They don't care what you do_." This strung a chord. Whatever sympathy he had for her a minute ago pulverized into nothingness. Her father might have been responsible for her attitude now, but her view on this was unacceptable to him. _Of course, it's only common sense that we mourn for the people that passed. I have every fucking right to grieve for my clan. You don't get to judge me for that!_

"Boss, people mourn for their loved ones because they spent time with them and they feel an overwhelming sense of loss knowing that the person is no longer here... on Earth," he attempted to explain to her, but he could not help having a condescending tone. It such a simple concept - what was so hard for her to comprehend? 

She looked at him, unconvinced. "But I never met them. They died before I can even remember things. They never did anything for me, they never added any value to my life. Yet here they are... ruining my day because my father cares about them," she lamented, sounding slightly bitter, "I didn't even have a proper Sweet Sixteen. We don't even know what happens after people die, I think people will just stop existing." 

He wanted to vomit blood when he heard her crass words. To never care about the people that died because they had nothing to do with you... it reminded him so much of the Phantom Troupe. It reflected her foul hobby of collecting dead body parts. Does she care how those parts were obtained? No. They were accessories to her. He took a deep breath, every ounce in him not to shout at her. _Calm down... It's still her birthday. I can't believe I'm marrying such a thoughtless and ignorant girl. Damned princess syndrome._

"I just think..." she blabbed on. 

"What?" he said, gritting his teeth. He wished she would just stop talking before he loses it. He looked at her neck. The idea of his hand covering the skin of her neck was somehow appealing to him now. _Just so that she can shut her pretty face up..._ \- Kurapika spitefully thought. He closed his eyes so that the sight of her neck was no longer there. The passing idea was perverse, he knew. He was disgusted by himself that he even wanted to lay a finger on her. 

"People should focus on the living. I'm alive. Papa can't see that," she concluded. Her words did carry weight. Light might have lost his wife and son, but he was treating his daughter like a ghost. 

Kurapika decided that he did not want to have this conversation anymore. _Get a grip_ \- he thought."Right, uhh... Melody delivered this to me and said that she wanted you to have this for your birthday," he suggested, effectively distracting her from this sombre topic. He showed her a small music box, "she said you can keep some of your jewellery inside." 

She opened it, revealing the song Ravel's _Pavane for A Dead Princess_. Her eyes got a little watery, and they were twinkling. "I once heard this at the mall and I told her that I loved this song. Wow, she remembered! She did say it had a sad title, but I don't really care for it," she reminisced. 

"Did she tell you the title?" he asked. He recognised the music piece. It was hauntingly ironic, given their recent conversation about the dead. 

"Nope! I told her not to tell me because it might ruin the song. Don't know, don't care~" 

_On second thoughts, it does suit her. She's a princess with a dead soul_ \- Kurapika observed her admiring her gift. 

"Basho also wanted to give you something. He said you should read it out loud," he passed a letter to her. She opened it, revealing a paper that he normally uses. In it, was a Haiku: 

_"Once you recite this,_

_You get earrings of your wish._

_Happy birthday, child."_

Once she read it, a pair of small earrings conjured. "Wow!" she squealed in excitement.

There was another knock on the door. "Come in!" she called out. Eliza opened the door, with a cupcake and one candle lit on top. 

"Oh Eliza, you didn't have to..." 

"Of course I did, don't be silly. It had been difficult for me, but you still supported me. It's the least I could do, Miss Neon," Eliza went closer and Kurapika took it as a cue to leave. He stood up, walking towards the door. Eliza occupied the space he had left empty. 

Kurapika watched Eliza sang the birthday song. He was supposed to leave, but he could not help but see what Neon's reaction would be. He wanted to believe that buried underneath her dead soul, there was at least _something_. Her eyes were gradually watering. She was genuinely touched by Eliza's gesture, as it did with Basho and Melody's gifts. 

Kurapika left, knowing that his business was done here. 

* * *

A few days later, they signed the documents relating to the marriage. Now all that's left is the wedding gift and the preparation for the ceremony. The latter will be a hassle, but Kurapika thought that he'd leave the nitty-gritty aesthetic details for Neon to decide. He was fine with anything, really. 

Once they arrived at the Nostrade mansion, he saw Linssen walking out of Light's office. He figured that Light must have informed Linssen about the marriage arrangement. Linssen eyed him carefully. 

"If you have anything to say about it, out with it," Kurapika said, preparing himself for another round of roasting like Basho did to him. 

Linssen just shrugged his shoulders. "Err... congratulations? I know you have your own reasons and motivations, other than love. They don't matter to me. Just... know what you're doing and make sure your decision is right," Linssen said. 

"Also, if possible, I want to have a higher pay, Boss," Linssen joked. The blond rolled his eyes as he walked to his own room. 

* * *

"Kurapika..."

It was Neon's voice. He opened the door of his room. She was lying on his bed, which immediately annoyed him. He saw her face, but he jumped when he took an entire scan of her.

She smiled at him playfully, showing the family heirloom ring on her finger.

The problem wasn't really the fact that she invaded his personal space or her unexpected visit into the night.

The problem was she was wearing the ring.

But _only_ the ring.

Her hand beckoned for him to join her. He swore that the ring became shinier than usual, such that it blinded his sight. 

* * *

His body jolted. His eyes opened, as if he was violently electrocuted to life. His head was heavy. He looked around, only to find his room empty. No sight of Neon. He sat up, perplexed, unsure if the previous encounter was a reality. Once the grogginess cleared from his head, he remembered his strange dream. He placed his hand on his forehead, the horror seeping through his skin as he comprehended what just happened to him. 

"Wha- what the...what the actual hell?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. It was noted that Basho and Melody had left the Nostrade employment for quite sometime, but unknown how long. This makes sense since Melody was in the hospital during the Election arc when Gon was hospitalised. Leorio had to call Kurapika to inform him about Gon. If Melody knew about Gon and she was still under the Nostrade employment, Leorio wouldn't need to do that because Melody would have already told Kurapika. So I think she left sometime between Greed Island and CA arc.
> 
> 2\. If the marriage theory was true, I don't think Melody would have known about the marriage because she would have told Leorio and the rest. Plus she would have been worried herself. Kurapika is quite secretive and I imagine him hating to be lectured so he'll likely keep the marriage thing in secret. 
> 
> 3\. Gong Zhu Bing is a term in dominantly Chinese-influenced Asian countries, which means Princess Syndrome. It's to describe high-maintainence, self-absorbed and materialistic girls. 
> 
> 4\. We don't really know why Neon has this repulsive flesh collector hobby or why she doesn't believe in the dead. The whole dead mother and brother thing dying on her birthday is not canon by the way, it's just my way of trying to explain things. I have a reason for choosing this story later on. 
> 
> 5\. I don't think Kurapika will give her a birthday gift for now because that will be too fast. He doesn't feel obligated to make her happy as of this chapter. 
> 
> 6\. I tried to dig up information on Basho and his ability. According to Hunterpedia, whatever is written on the Haiku becomes real, but the effect depends on the quality of the Haiku. I'm not sure if it will work if someone else reads the Haiku like in this fic but I guess I just wanted to add a bit of flair in his gift. Also, I suck at Haikus, just pretend that the quality is good enough to conjure earrings. 
> 
> 7\. I genuinely think that Neon's love language is gifts. She'll appreciate gifts on her birthday since her dad doesn't celebrate it with her. Kurapika's speech about the studies of spending money on someone and happiness is actually a proven scientific study (lmao that was my exam question). 
> 
> 8\. Also, our Pika boi is... he's going to have a hard time (pun-intended) with all these sexual tension now that he had a short erotic dream of her. Get ready for stage 1: Kurapika in-denial of lusting for the flesh collector. 
> 
> ALSO IMPORTANT: I will have school next week. The class schedule tends to get hectic and I need to do part-time job on top of that. There's also that HieixBotan fic (Of Marigolds and Dragonflies) that I need to do. Hence, err... I don't know when I will update. It might take months (maybe after April?) No promises, but I will try my best!


	5. Misunderstanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika had a bizarre dream about Neon. With his promise to get her the wedding gift, what will happen next?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really long. It's almost 8K words.
> 
> For any of you who are wondering how I managed to update while I'm having school and part-time job, let's just say I update them using my phone on the 1h train ride to school; and also because the first 5 weeks of the semester is not so bad. The subsequent weeks though... it's going to be hell. 
> 
> Lots of misunderstanding between them for this chapter!

"So you and Mr Kurapika made an agreement?" Eliza asked.

"Yup," Neon replied, lying down on her bed and gazing at her engagement ring, "we settled some things about what I wanted, and he talked about business, properties, and stuff like that."

"I see-"

"You seem worried about something, Eliza," Neon observed, propping herself up.

"It's just..." Eliza hesitated, "I don't know how to put this- did he state if he will expect anything else in the marriage? Like... uhm..."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, you two agreed on what to offer materially, but what about your expectations in your marital relationship? Are you two just going to get married and never talk? Does he... expect something more? What about your wedding night?" Eliza pondered. She wanted to make sure if Neon knows exactly what she'll be getting into. She was worried that the younger woman was diving into this situation for the sake of avoiding to marry Dubois.

Neon thought for a moment. She shook her head. Eliza sighed.

"You do know what happens on a wedding night, right?" Eliza asked.

"Huh?"

"You know..." Eliza hesitantly said, "when a man and a woman become married... after their wedding, they usually spend their night together to make their marriage official by you know..."

"Oh, you mean _sex_?" Neon suddenly blurted out what Eliza was dodging to say. It shocked her attendant that she would be so blunt.

"Uhh... yeah. Wait, how did you know that?"

Neon laughed, "of course I know! I wasn't born yesterday. I did know about it late. Maybe... when I was 16? I snuck out quite a lot to go to parties at around that time. I met girls my age who kiss and tell. They were the ones that kinda told me about it."

"Ohh-"

"Sometimes the fashion magazines I read will have things like _Top 10 Tips to Get Him in the Mood_ , or something like that. Romance movies have steamy scenes, too!" she giggled.

"And sometimes it helps to read erotic fiction~" Neon said with a wink. 

"But... have you ever kissed a boy?" Eliza asked. 

"Nope," she answered, resting her chin on her palm, "I wonder how that feels like. Sometimes I'd kiss my hand, but I don't know if that's accurate. There are boys that I met at the parties, but none of them impressed me. Then after Kurapika became the head bodyguard, I couldn't escape as much anymore! I can escape whenever it's Melody or the other guys, but Kurapika's _eyes_ are too sharp." 

"At this rate... I might die without kissing someone," Neon sighed, lying down on her bed and resting the back of her hand on her forehead dramatically. 

Eliza looked at the girl with concern. "Ehh... you're going to have a wedding at a church right? There might that time where you... have to kiss the groom," she said. 

"Oh right!" Neon sat up immediately, like a child that had forgotten to do her homework. She chewed her lips, "I guess that's how I'll get my first kiss then." 

"So you won't mind kissing Kurapika?" 

"Hmm," she pondered and shrugged her shoulders, "it's better than kissing an old man. I can't believe Papa almost set me up to marry that Dubois guy. Yuck." She stuck her tongue in disgust.

"What if Kurapika wants to... you know... Will you be prepared?"

Neon went silent, in deep thought. "I don't think he will," she concluded. 

"What makes you say so?" 

"He's so uptight! He doesn't know when to relax, all he ever does is follow what Papa says. I even teased him when he refused to sit down on my bed. I just wanted him to sit down, he already thinks it's inappropriate," she giggled, "he sees the marriage as work, something that he needs to do to get what he wants - I haven't figured out what he's up to though! But one thing's for sure, _he will never want anything more than that_. He'll probably still act as my bodyguard and running the family business. I don't even think that guy ever gets horny or even feel anything... aside from being annoyed. I did catch him staring at me, but really, who wouldn't whenever I'm wearing something nice? Even if he does, all he could ever do is stare and tell himself that it's wrong. _He's really a prude._ _He always wants to be in control._ " 

She gave a cheeky laugh. Her attendant was still concerned, but after thinking deeply, she sighed, "maybe you're right Miss Neon, he's too professional to want _that_."

"Which makes me think..." Neon formed a grin, "perhaps it'll be fun to tease him. His reactions are pretty funny! I'm bored anyway." 

"I... don't think that'll be wise to do that, Miss Neon-"

"There's no harm in it. You said it yourself, he's too much of a _prude_ to ever want _that_ -" 

* * *

Neon lay on a bed of blue rose petals. She was only wearing her engagement ring. "Come here," she invited him with a smile. Kurapika stared at her figure for a moment, savouring the whole of her with his vision, before climbing on top of her.

They kissed feverishly.

She groaned when he entered her.

"Kurapika..."

* * *

He was wide awake, confused. He scanned his bed. He was alone. "Fuck..." Kurapika muttered, horrified when he remembered his dream.

This was the second time he had a bizarre dream of Neon. The first time was about two weeks ago.

He could feel his pyjamas tightened.

_What the hell is happening to me?_

* * *

"How is your new employer?" Kurapika was on the call with Melody.

"My new employer is fine, he seems like a nice guy and his wife too. His three daughters are all into music as well. I really get along with them. I didn't tell them that I was looking for the Sonata of Darkness though," she answered on the other line.

"I see-"

"What about you? Is working under Miss Neon fairing well?" she asked. His heart momentarily stopped a little at the mention of her name.

"It's fine-" Kurapika answered vaguely.

"Oh? Did Miss Neon receive my gift? Does she like it?"

Kurapika recalled the moment Neon looked happy upon receiving the music box. He said, "she almost cried when she heard the song. She must have really liked it."

"That's great! I wish I was there to see her reaction. You know, her heart fluttered so much when she was buying gifts for people. She's even sensitive to people's clothing preferences-"

"Oh really?" Kurapika cast doubt. _Neon being sensitive?_ That was unheard of.

"Yes, really!" Melody insisted, "I was worried when she told me she bought a floral dress for me because I may not be able to wear it as you know... I always hide the burns in my arms... and the dress would be a waste since she gave it to me. But I was surprised when the floral dress was long-sleeved. It has a great design too. She doesn't know about what happened to me, but she knew that I wouldn't wear clothes that showed my arms. It was... really thoughtful of Miss Neon," Melody narrated in a cheerful tone.

Melody did suffer burns due to that horrible encounter with the Sonata of Darkness piece. She has to wear a straw hat because she is balding. She showed Kurapika an old photograph of once. If she had not heard the demonic music piece, she would probably have been somewhere else, hanging out with her lost friend and donned in the most flattering outfit and hairdo. She probably would not have even considered becoming a hunter.

Kurapika noticed that fate was cruel to many hunters. They had reasons to become one. They were often looking for either redemption, fulfilling a mission, pleasure, a cure for boredom or revenge. He would have assumed that Neon, who lived in a bubble, would have never considered Melody's clothing preferences.

"That's... refreshing to hear," that was all Kurapika could reply. Melody's narrative of Neon was completely different from his last conversation with her.

Coupled with his perverse dreams of Neon, it was getting difficult to unravel his impressions of her.

"Is there... something wrong? Kurapika?" Melody's sudden suspicions snapped him back from his thoughts.

"Nothing-"

"Are you sure? Your heartbeat seems very erratic and in confusion the moment I mentioned Miss Neon. Did something happen to her?" she inquired, her soft voice filled with concern.

He froze. He was not aware that Melody's sense of hearing was _this_ acute to the point that she could hear heartbeats over the phone.

"No, no. Everything's fine," Kurapika lied. He gritted his teeth. What's the point of lying to Melody? She'll know.

"You're not really being honest... Why do I have the feeling that something happened?" Melody muttered.

Kurapika appreciated his older friend a ton - Melody was like a mother to him. But like all mothers, there were times where they get overbearing and get concerned with details their children do not wish to discuss.

She was stepping over the line.

"Neon's just giving me a _hard_ time lately," he vaguely answered. The best way to evade a lie detector is to give double meanings.

"Ah I see. Just be patient with her," Melody advised.

"Kurapika-"

Linssen called out. _Thank fuck Linssen is here._

"Oh, I have to go now. Linssen is calling me. We'll talk another time, okay?" Kurapika quickly said, before slamming the telephone. He glared at it for a while. He could not breathe the entire time Melody started probing him questions about Neon. _This was worse than the time Mother was interrogating me about the broken glass_ \- he recalled, massaging his temple. He sighed.

"Are you okay... err... Kurapika? Or should I call you Boss now?" Linssen questioned, "I'm sorry this is all too new and _confuzzling_ for me."

"Confuzzling?"

"Yeah, a combination of the word 'confused' and 'puzzling'," Linssen explained, "it's a term Boss- err- Miss Neon sometimes uses. You see, I don't know who to call 'Boss'. This is all confuzzling." He laughed.

If Linssen had not mentioned Neon, Kurapika might have laughed along with him. She was everywhere, even when she was not there. It plagued him knowing that he had erotic dreams of her. He wanted to get his mind off of the woman as much as possible.

"What did Neon prefer?" he asked.

" _Your fianceé_ prefers to be called Miss Neon instead of Boss actually," Linssen cheekily answered, stretching out the first two words for a good measure, "she says it suits her more."

Kurapika was unamused. He gave Linssen the leeway to tease him two weeks ago, but it seemed that the latter was late in the mood to make fun of the juicy news. Basho was the type to do this, so having the meek Linssen to show his clownery side was a tad surprising. Perhaps Basho's humour infected Linssen over time. 

"Then call her that-"

"What about you? Should I call you Boss or-"

"Just call me Boss-"

Kurapika probably would have been okay with Linssen addressing him 'Leader' or his name as usual, yet his recent casual mockery was proof that maybe there needs to be a re-establishment of professionalism. They had been colleagues for a while, that Kurapika felt the need to legitimise his authority. He needed people to take him seriously in spite of his young age or seemingly "mild" appearance.

Linssen's smile dropped a little when he noticed that Kurapika was rather irritated. He expected the boy to loosen up - he was a teen after all! Yet, Kurapika was rather not the ordinary adolescent boy that one would normally come across. His mind was crafted as if he had seen through the horrors of the world in decades.

"Why did you call anyway?"

Linssen stiffened up. "Right, there are certain details the wedding planner needs you to go over," he set some documents on the office table in front of Kurapika.

The blonde placed his hand on his head. _What a headache._ He said, "can you just get Neon to do this? I am not too concerned with aesthetics. I'm too busy with other meetings."

"I would, but it has something to do with your tuxedo. The wedding planner had been bugging me to pick a design and schedule an appointment for measuring next week," Linssen explained.

Kurapika huffed. _What a nightmare_. "Fine," he looked through the catalogue, he pointed at the ordinary black tuxedo, "here."

"Seriously?" Linssen raised an eyebrow at Kurapika's immediate response.

"What?"

"I just think it's too simple," he complained.

Kurapika looked at him grimly. "You sound like you're the one who's getting married," he grumbled.

"It just doesn't complement Miss Neon's wedding gown," Linssen complained.

"Then show me what she'll be wearing then-"

"You can't!" Linssen held his palm up, "it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride's wedding dress before the ceremony."

"Then how the hell am I going to pick if I can't see what she's going to wear then?" he answered, growing annoyed.

"Just pick another one and I'll tell you if it matches," his subordinate suggested.

Kurapika rolled his eyes. "You seem to be taking this a tad too seriously," he observed, "since when did you have a keen interest in clothing?"

"Well- I don't know? I have to keep carrying stuff whenever _your fianceé_ goes on a shopping spree, that it begins to rub off on me on what matches or not," he whined, giving an exaggerated shiver.

"I wasn't aware that you have a hidden feminine side with an interest in fashion," Kurapika gave a slight smirk, "I wonder what Basho would say in your little secret." _That's for all the stupid remarks about Neon and I._

"Wait... don't... no..." Linssen said, horrified, "that'll ruin my reputation."

"Then stop making fun of me," Kurapika demanded.

"On second thoughts... I don't care. Tell him. Basho and I joking about you will be worth it," Linssen replied with a grin.

Kurapika sighed. There's no winning with Basho and Linssen. "I'm choosing this. And that's final," he pointed at the simple navy blue tuxedo.

Linssen gave an irked expression.

"What?!" Kurapika blurted out, "just show me what she's going to wear."

"I can't! That's a custom!"

"Fine, just tell me what she's wearing. Is she going to wear something..."

Kurapika mind trailed off to possible dresses she could wear, but he thought of _nothing_. The image of her nude body from his dreams appeared instead.

 _Ah shit._ "Since when are you so superstitious?" he asked, hoping to divert the conversation.

"Uhh... Boss, I'm a firm believer of luck," Linssen affirmed. Kurapika observed his Eastern clothing.

_Right... I forgot where Linssen came from._

"If you are so concerned with it then pick whatever you deem is sufficient based on your standards. So long as it isn't horrid," he dismissed.

Linssen smiled triumphantly. He took back the catalogue book.

"Now get out of here. I have some documents to prepare for a meeting tomorrow," Kurapika shooed him.

Linssen made his way out, "alright, alright, no need to be so angsty, Boss. Just because you can't see Miss Neon's dress yet doesn't mean you should be snappy."

"I do not wa-"

Linssen already shut the door as he left before Kurapika could throw a mini-tantrum. He hated how everyone around him was mentioning her out of the blue.

_What she wears is none of my concern. It's not like in my dreams she's wearing anything...._

_Huh._

_Wait._

_No. Stop._

Kurapika bumped his head down on the office table. He groaned.

* * *

It was past dinner. Kurapika had just finished another cup of coffee. He was calculating the money spent on the wedding ceremony, as well as utilities, and the business revenue. He wanted to ensure that there are sufficient funds to buy the first set of Scarlet Eyes - also known as his promised wedding gift to Neon.

_I should hire an accountant in the near future. I can't keep doing this on my own. Mr Nostrade's really bad at handling money... Wha- eight million jennies? Why the hell are weddings so damn expensive?_

He glared at the long number on the wedding dress. It better be a nice one.

_At least, she kept within the budget. Mr Nostrade and Neon even got an argument with it._

He recalled the time where Light called him, with Neon throwing a fit in the background. Apparently Light disapproved with the dress because it was "too revealing". He could hear Neon screaming: ' _it's_ _just a heartline dress. It's not like I'm showing my boobs or anything!_ ' Light wanted to phone Kurapika, in hopes that his new son-in-law would side with him and reason with Neon. However, Kurapika was terribly busy with all the work Light had dumped on him that he never wanted to be bothered by this. Kurapika resolved their conflict by reasoning with Light that it was Neon's choice - this might be her only chance to wear an extravagant dress. And if Neon's dress was not as revealing as Light had exaggerated - of which, both Eliza and Linssen agreed that it was 'not revealing at all' - then perhaps Light should just give in. Thankfully, the older man waved the white flag. If the groom was not against it without even knowing how the dress looked like, then why should the father have a say in it?

Frankly... Kurapika did not care about what dress she wears. It was not relevant to his imaginations. 

He still could not believe people would spend so much money on a flimsy ceremony that only lasts a day. In his village, they would keep the ceremonies simple yet elegant. There was just a strong contrast between the frugal simplistic nature in the Kurta village and the hedonistic abundance within the Nostrade and mafia community.

_Yes! At least 1 billion jennies to spare for the first set of Scarlet Eyes. Although... it is suspicious, why did the exhibition specifically stated to bring 1 billion? They made it a pre-requisite._

Given that the underground auction's starting bidding is 500 million, he estimated that the "safe budget" for the Scarlet Eyes will be somewhere a little higher. Of course, he overbid it once for 2.9 billion - the scumbag Zenji decided to mess with him. He sincerely hoped that 1 billion would be enough. He stared at the number grimly. 

_My people... our eyes are may value a lot, but our lives are worthless to them._

* * *

"You called for me, father?" Kurapika asked. He was getting used to addressing Light as his father, although it still felt strange in his tongue. After being legally married to Neon, Light did not hesitate to transfer all the properties and responsibilities to his new son-in-law. He also had given Kurapika a vacant room as his own office, filled with books and ample furniture which was conducive for Kurapika to work. The younger man had been cooped up in that room for hours, busying himself with the tasks that he was dumped with.

"Ah yes," Light turned to him, with a cigarette in hand. He gave a heavy cough.

"With all due respect, you ought to stop smoking," Kurapika chided, "your health is not great."

"I know... I know..." the old man said shakingly, "it's just that it's a little hard to quit the nicotine once you're into it. You do know..., right? You've been into those meetings."

"Yes-"

"And did they offer you a puff?"

"They did, but I'd rather not do it."

Kurapika initially despised the smell of tobacco. It disgusted him; he could not breathe whenever the air was filled with smoke from the meetings. But as more meetings had come, he had gotten used to it. He still could not understand the idea of buying a substance that can potentially deteriorate your health.

"My son, if they offer you a cigarette, you should take it. It can be seen as disrespectful if you don't. They might see you as someone powerless too. If you can't handle a puff, who can take you seriously? It's a good way to relieve the stress," Light advised. Kurapika said nothing. He absolutely found it strange how such a flimsy addiction can be an indication of strength. Yet, Kurapika did want to ensure that everyone in the mafia community would respect him. It would be a difficult feat, knowing that they would still underestimate his age in spite of his capabilities.

"Now, I'm offering you a cigarette," Light handed a cigarette stick to him. Kurapika looked at it for a while. He placed it on his lips and his father-in-law operated the lighter for him.

"Breathe it in, then breathe it out. Slowly," he instructed. Kurapika did as what he was told – yet the gas was unfamiliar. He coughed violently after he attempted to breathe it out. _Why do so many people enjoy this? It's horrible._

"Atta boy," Light patted his back, "you'll get used to it. Whisky?"

Kurapika nodded, still recovering from his failed attempt to smoke. He did taste a bit of alcohol during the meetings. They were a vice that Kurapika initially wanted to stay away from, but he figured it was alright when consumed in moderation. Light poured from a bottle and settled the glass onto the table. Both men sat down in front of one another, with the large office table between them.

"I'm here to discuss you about religion," Light started, "you have seen the Christmas decoration, yes? It's going to be Christmas soon." Kurapika nodded, but a little lost in the purpose of their discussion. _He's been like this ever since he offered for me to be his son-in-law. Beating around the bush when the topic is a little out of ordinary. Usually, it's when he needs me to do something for him that is out of my paycheck._

"Kurapika, do you have any faith... in anything?"

"Do you mean... believing in a monotheistic religion?" he clarified.

"Yes... I do not know where you come from and you obviously hide it for personal reasons. I will not force you to tell me who you really are – I'd rather you tell me yourself – but at least let me know if your... wherever you come from... if you believe in anything," Light explained.

"We don't have a word for it per se," Kurapika answered, "our traditional beliefs are more of a mixture of shamanism, animatism and polytheism. It's not a monotheistic religion like yours. The mainstream population accused us of being devils and practising witchcraft because of it."

"I see..."

Light frowned, his heart was heavy for the young man. He was not sure where his son-in-law came from, but one thing's for sure – his people suffered from discrimination. He was dying to know Kurapika's identity. It was mysterious. In fact, he should not be welcoming a young boy into his family with open arms if he did not know of his origins. Yet, Light easily trusted Kurapika because the latter did not leave them to rot in poverty.

"I'm sorry. You don't deserve that-"

Kurapika shrugged it off. Sure, he appreciated the sentiment, but what can he do now?

"And do you actively practise them?"

"I did. I used to," Kurapika replied vaguely. When he was a child, his parents and the elder used to teach him such beliefs and schools of thoughts. However, after the massacre, there was no one to teach him anything about his culture.

"I don't believe in it anymore. I don't believe in anything now," he added. Ever since his home was taken away from him... Kurapika found it difficult to believe in faith or any higher power to watch over him.

_If things like religion, God or any deities that we kneel and pray to exists... that we worship for them to keep us safe... then where the hell were they when my clan got massacred and have their eyes gouged out?! The thing is... all these ideas... they were only conceptualised because people needed to hold onto something... to make sense of the world around them... to erase their guilt... and to justify certain rules and regulations. They are often used as instruments of power and manipulation. I'm all on my own. I'm alone. There's no one watching me. If they ever existed... they have abandoned me._

"Most people in the mafia community are Catholics, and we do celebrate Christmas," he explained, "now the reason why I'm telling you this is that since you're legally married to my daughter and you will have to wed in a church. In here, you do not need to convert to our religion to marry Neon. No issues. But there are some problems though... in certain countries, they don't recognise a marriage that is not bonded in matrimony between a Catholic and a non-believer. Countries like Islas de Filipinas, Navaticaa... they don't recognise it. That might be an issue when you travel together or do business... but maybe you won't even encounter that problem. I'll leave it up to you."

But Kurapika assumed that Light was hoping he would, so he asked, "is there any other reason why I should be converting?"

"Well... this is a little touchy – because personally, I don't care – but the mafia community here... they tend to be culture-oriented. My friend... Roman? You met him, right? I have given thoughts of what he said. Word has got around that... _you're not one of us_. Our ancestors had migrated to the United States of Saherta, but our diasporic identity is still in-tact with us. I- I... don't even know where you came from... b-but, I don't need you to tell me – I don't care, but they... do. So long as you are different, they will always see you as an outsider. If you want to take command, you need them to see you as _one of us_."

Kurapika squinted his eyes. Even at the extinction of his clan, they will always be treated with unfamiliarity and seen as different. _Is it really a curse to be born a Kurta? Why does the world hate so much? And yet... they love our eyes. We're nothing but objects._

"Of course... I cannot change who you are, or where you're from. And I don't intend to," Light immediately clarified, "I just think... if we can't change that part of you, then maybe you can assimilate... in another form of identity. Show them that you're willing to embrace us – that means accepting their offer of eating dinner, cigars... that is important too. You can't lead and get what you want if people do not respect you or see you as someone they trust. I suspect they would treat you like a social climber who married into money."

"I see..."

Kurapika felt numb – this whole... association with the mafia and marriage to Neon... it was placing so much sacrifice on him. He needs to give up another part of him – his spiritual beliefs. He searched within himself... if he believed in anything... and found a void. He figured that perhaps... it will not be considered a sacrifice because he no longer believed in it. The conversion would be just for show – he was not required to adopt it wholesomely. In fact... a part of him wanted to scoff at the mafia community's hypocrisy. They did shady dealings throughout the week, and find themselves praying for forgiveness and cleansing their sins by the end of it.

He came so far... even to the point of signing documents that made him legally bonded to the very woman that collects the eyes of his clan. It would be foolish not to completely put up with this charade.

"I understand. I will do it."

* * *

Kurapika tapped his foot. Today was the auction event for flesh collectors. _What's taking Neon so long?_ In truth, he did not want to face Neon – not after all the dreams that he had. He had been avoiding her for the past two and a half weeks. He did not even bother to come out during Christmas celebration much, in spite of converting. _It's just for show, anyway_.

* * *

Neon slowly zipped up the dress that Kurapika had bought for her on Christmas. She stared at the music box that Melody gave, grabbing the earrings that Basho had given her.

She recalled that her father and Kurapika, along with the remaining staff did have Christmas dinner together, but that was all Kurapika had participated in. While the tone of the house decorations was festive, there was a looming tension between Neon and the two men in her current life: her husband and her father. It is clear that she was still bitter about her father's neglect after the incident she lost her ability. What she was not sure about was Kurapika's sudden hostility. He was cold, sure, but he was not this avoidant.

All he did was get her a dress and a coat to wear for their outing – and he did not even personally gave it to her! He instructed Linssen to do it. When Neon asked if Kurapika or Linssen picked the dress and coat for her, Linssen honestly answered that Kurapika had "thrown him some money" and instructed him to "pick something she might like". Neon did love the dress that Linssen picked – he had a good taste for fashion, surprisingly. She never expected that of him, given that he always wore similar traditional outfits.

However, she could not explain it, but she felt... hollow? This was the second time Kurapika had done something like that. The first time was the heirloom ring he had given her on her birthday. She passed Linssen the present she picked for him, the one where she did some Christmas shopping with Eliza. It was obvious that Linssen felt perplexed, given that he had been participating in some kind of messenger between the two.

"Everything okay, Miss Neon?" Eliza asked.

"I'm okay... it's just..."

"Is it because Mr Kurapika hasn't spoken to you?"

"Well..."

"Maybe he just doesn't know what to say?" Eliza suggested, "he was your employee, and now he's the boss. He might need some time for that adjustment, especially when your father has been dumping all the work on him. If... I wake up one day and I'm suddenly the boss... I'd freak out. Show him that things haven't changed."

"I suppose," Neon pouted, then she beamed, "ah! I almost forgot – it is fun to tease him. I do miss his funny reactions. Maybe I can do that?"

"Uhm... I don't think you should do that..."

"Why not?" she asked, confused, "didn't we agree that he's a prude – but that's also why I think his reactions are funny."

"Don't tempt a man, Miss Neon," Eliza warned.

"Him? A man... Kurapika? He's different. He always plays by the book. He's just going to get annoyed – Eliza, can you help me with the necklace? – I don't even think he cares about those type of things," she said in confidence while giving the necklace to the servant.

"How are you so sure of that?" Eliza clarified, locking in the long crystal necklace around Neon's neck.

"I've met boys – you know, those guys that were Papa's friends' sons – if I'm ever friendly with them at the slightest... they take it as a signal that I want them. They take every opportunity to be touchy-feely... If I ever ask them to sit on my bed, they'd take it in a heartbeat. But Kurapika? He refused... He's not like... _that_ ," Neon reasoned.

"Oh! I guess that's good. You can be assured that he won't do anything," Eliza said cheerfully.

"Yeah... he won't do a single thing..."

Neon should feel relieved that he did not treat her like those boys that swooned and adored her, placing her on the pedestal. It was nice getting all the male attention, but they only desired one thing. Yet, his indifferent actions lately... the fact that he did not even bother to pick out a gift to impress her...

It made her feel invisible. 

* * *

"I'm here!" 

Kurapika looked up. She was smiling. "How do I look?" she asked excitedly, twirling around for him. She was wearing a light apricot dress and a matching fluffy lavender coat. The coat was protection for the cold December weather. Her outfit did not go complete with her signature hairstyle. 

He scanned her quickly. Almost all of her skin was covered - a juxtaposition of her portrayal in his dreams. It left a lot to the imagination. _I wonder if the dreams are accurate_... he shut his eyes and look away. She chewed her lip in response. Was the dress that he bought not nice on her? 

"I'm wearing what you gave me," she commented, with a hint of resentment. He did not even look at her properly. He raised his eyebrows in surprise - _oh, so that's what Linssen chose for her_. 

"I see-" 

_He doesn't even know what he bought for me..? Hmph, how rude._

Silence hung in the air. 

"Shall we go? The driver's here," Kurapika was the first to break the awkwardness. _I need to stop thinking this way. I'm here to collect the Eyes. We're going to get one of them today, hopefully. Nothing more._

Both of them entered the vehicle. 

* * *

Neon looked out of the window. She was bored. It had been 5 minutes since the car ride. He had not uttered a word, nor did she. It was so unfair. _Did I do something wrong? Was it because he did not like what_ _Linssen_ _picked for the gift and wasted his money? That must be it! Well, that's his fault, he should've at least check it. Although... The dress looks cute. What does he know about fashion? He wears the same type of clothes. Either a suit or a_ _tabard_ _. He's not even wearing the tie that I gave him for Christmas... and I picked such a cute tie!_

Kurapika caught her staring, for he momentarily glanced and then shifted his sights to the window.

"Kurapika..." she spoke up, wanting to garner his attention, "you didn't answer my question."

He braced himself to witness her pouting lips - all covered in rose-pink lipgloss that had a tinge of glitter. He had kissed them countless of times in his disturbing dreams.

"Huh?" - that was all he can muster. He was too ensnared.

"I said... You didn't answer my question," she replied, a little louder. Her eyebrows formed into a frown - the ones she had before throwing a petty tantrum.

"How do I look?" she repeated, like a child begging to be praised.

He sighed. _Can this girl get even vainer? Why does she need to ask if she knows the default answer?_ He took another quick look at her, then shut his eyes. The image of her without the dress and coat appeared. He opened his eyes once more, finding the girl with unwavering determination watching him like a hawk.

He gave a simple answer, "you look fine." She relaxed her shoulders. Perhaps that answer should suffice.

She looked out of the window again, sulking. Was she that horrid to look at? What happened to him staring at her when she was in a bunny outfit? _Hmm... Maybe he likes that bunny outfit? Wait, why do I care what he thinks? If I think I look cute in it, then other people's opinions don't matter._

* * *

They arrived at the place.

Contrary to popular belief, it was not as shady as one had imagined. There were city lights. They entered a colourful building with bright signs of orange, green and blue. Jazz music was even played in the lobby. People from all the high-status backgrounds gathered - scholars, businessmen, mobsters - dressed to the nines. Most of them were middle-aged or older, however. It made Neon and Kurapika like a strange pair of high schoolers that had strolled into the wrong party.

The only dull element was that some of the grotesque body parts on display were probably obtained through illegal means. Kurapika gave the workers the tickets. At the corner of his eye, he saw a pack of broad-looking men. They seem to be the guards.

Once they had gained access, Neon skittered in excitement, rushing to the display of dead body parts. She was admiring a deformed skull of a famed empress, one that has been said to have ruled the ancient civilization in the corner of the Azian continent.

Kurapika tailed behind her. "I read about this one. The empress suffered a blow to the back of her head. It was an assassination attempt by her lover," he explained, "the other heads are her children and servants."

"Wow, I didn't know that! You're so smart, aren't you? You really have an interest in collecting!" she giggled. Kurapika chose not to say anything. It was a convenient lie; a narrative for him to complete his mission. His pride swelled a little at her praise, however. 

He found it hard to piece the view in front of him: a seemingly innocent girl with a sick fascination.

Which is why he had to stop those sinful thoughts. It was not right.

"Neon? Is that you?" both of them turned around. It belonged to a middle-aged lady in her 40s. She was clinging onto a man who was roughly the same age as her. Kurapika presumed that it was her husband.

When Neon appeared confused, the woman introduced herself, "you were still young back then but your father and I were friends. We're here because he's such a history geek!"

The woman pinched her husband's nose, which the husband reacted in embarrassment, but there was a slight smile on his face.

"Ohh!" she reacted, beaming at the pseudo-strangers.

"I assume that this is the man you're marrying?" the woman referred to Kurapika.

"Yeah-"

"I heard the news from your father. We received the invitation and we're happy to say that we're attending," she extended her arms, pulling Neon into a hug. The young woman was stunned by the sudden warm gesture, but she did not protest. She smelled a strong rose-scented perfume, one that an affluent confident woman would wear. Neon found it strange but it was pleasant. Most girls her age were not kind to her. 

"Tell your beau to hold you. You two look like you don't know each other," the older woman whispered during the embrace. When she released Neon, she gave a wink to the younger woman. Neon nodded.

Neon and Kurapika watched the middle-aged married couple walk off. 

Neon turned her attention to her fiancé. She latched onto Kurapika's arm, and he jumped slightly at the contact. She was trying to mimic the older couple - all-loving and close. "Let's go there!" she exclaimed, pointing at another preserved artefact. It featured the ten individual fingers of a Neanderthal, all separated. The palm was missing.

"Okay..." he muttered softly. She beamed at him, holding him tightly in such a way that his arm was pressing onto her chest. He was alarmed but kept his cool. They were as soft as he imagined in his dreams. 

He was unsure if she was doing it on purpose to provoke a reaction from him for her amusement, or if she was being naive. 

It was giving him all sorts of convoluted emotions that he did not comprehend.

* * *

They walked around. It was bizarre that 75 per cent of the catalogue were in multiples. There were a collection of skulls as a family set, mummified twin babies, 25 fossilised dinosaur eggs and the likes. 

"It's such a shame. The prince isn't coming. I thought we can have a good look at him in person-"

 _A prince?_ Kurapika's head perked up. He was unsure which man mumbled that. _So even a prince can be a collector. Royal blood._ What a sick world he lived in.

"Oh my gosh! Look!" Neon yelled, pulling Kurapika's attention to a particular piece. 

It was the Scarlet Eyes. 

"Who knew that there will be two of them here!" she commented happily. 

Kurapika froze, his heart beating faster and faster. This was unexpected. He mentally punched himself for not preparing for contingencies such as this. He was so concentrated in whether they have sufficient money to successfully bid for one set of Scarlet Eyes that the possibility of having multiple sets slipped his mind. 

_Shit! Is that why... I have been seeing some displays in multiples. Either way, even if I knew that there was going to be multiple sets, we do not have enough money for it. The financial state of the Nostrade family had just overcome the slump - we may not have enough to bid for two. Should I bid one first to secure it? Or risk it and split the 1 billion to take two? Which step should I take?_ He was gritting his teeth hard. _Why does this exhibition have multiple kinds of items? Strange. Something is up._

"Earth to Kurapika! Are you okay?" Neon waved in front of his face. "You're ignoring me again," she complained, she let go of his arms and place her hands on her hip. Her companion was being stiff.

"I was happy when you told me you have an interest in collecting so that I won't go to these type of events alone. But it's like you're not even here," she whined. Her arms are crossed together and she was puffing her cheeks.

He sighed, touching his forehead. He had been so concerned with his dreams, he had overlooked who exactly was he imagining: a flesh collector. The very people he swore he'd arrest. Demanding and selfish to the boot too. His guilt and disgust multiplied by tenfold. Not only it was wrong, it was a disgrace to his clan.

"I'm trying to find a way to get the Scarlet Eyes successfully. Please leave me be," he replied. He was supposed to be cautious with his words, but her attitude and his guilt were not helping.

Her expression softened. _He was worried about the gift? How cute!_ She whispered, "you don't have to stress about getting me my wedding gift. Anything here is fine, really! Though I prefer the Scarlet Eyes... They are really pretty."

_Oh right. To her, it's a wedding gift. I'm pretending to give one of the sets of my clan as a gift. She doesn't deserve it. Anyone in this building don't._

"Don't be sad, okay? Relax," she chided. He stared at her impassively. _I have every right to feel upset._ He clenched his jaw. She was doing it again. Opening her mouth when he needs silence.

He had the strong urge to place his thumb inside her mouth. Maybe that'll prevent her from yapping. _No. Stop. Stop. Don't think of that._

"I don't know what's gotten into you lately. I like it when you tell me the story behind these things instead of just keeping quiet! Like the time you told me about the empress. I- I... Truly want us to have fun," she said, "the Scarlet Eyes are really beautiful, you know? Hmm... I can't remember who they were, though. Some clan... K-kur..."

She thought hard. Nothing came to mind.

"They are called the Kurta clan," he answered.

"Ah! You really have a good memory," she praised, "do you know anything about them?"

He shook those feelings of pride. Why do his cheeks heat up whenever she complements his intelligence? This was a serious matter regarding his clan.

"There's not a lot of information about them," he half-lied. It is true that there are not enough scholars and historical records about them in the mainstream population. It is a lie because he knew everything about his clan.

"It is said that they live in seclusion and had gone extinct. They were massacred one day and have their eyes taken. There are 36 pairs of Scarlet Eyes around the world," he worded out the information that was publicly known carefully.

"Their eye colour is so rare and pretty then!" she commented, staring at a pair of Scarlet Eyes so intently, "if I ever meet someone with that kind of eyes, I will fall for them in a heartbeat!"

"Or maybe... I can have one of the eyeballs waxed and make it into a ponytail..." she muttered.

There was a warm fuzzy all over his chest, but the anger in him because of the second statement was stronger. "They were massacred. They are not things. They were humans. Or do you not care at all?" he questioned.

She pondered. "Am I supposed to?" she challenged, tilting her head a little, "I never knew them. Just like how I never knew my mother or my brother." She shrugged her shoulders.

Again, her apathy towards the dead linked to her father's negligence and preference to mourn over her dead family members. That was something Kurapika noted.

"Is that why you collect dead body parts? To have ownership over them?" he pressed on. Maybe she can realise how twisted her hobby is.

She stroked her chin. "I... Hmmm..." she thought hard, "I can't explain it. It just makes me... Satisfied? Powerful? Happy! It makes me think that dead people don't have control over me like I thought it has over the years. Mama and my brother... They always take my birthdays."

"I see-"

"What about you?" she asked, "why do you have an interest in collecting?"

He lost his breath for a moment. What would be his excuse? "I like reading about the past. Knowing what happened to them and having them as a display. It's... interesting," he came up with the most believable lie.

"So... You care about them," she concluded.

"Perhaps-"

"Hi- hi- mic test. Mic test. Ah-"

A voice piped up, garnering the attention of all the guests.

"Good evening everyone! I hope that you are having a pleasant time looking around the items. We have kept it a surprise! This year, we will make the bidding rules a little bit more interesting! There's a reason why you see that most items are more than one. It won't be like how the bidding is done in the past years. This one requires a strategy. Are you ready?" the announcer said.

 _I knew it, there was something strange about making it a pre-requisite and specifically stating 1 billion jennies. The items on display are also in numbers, not one of a kind. The bidding process must be different!_ Kurapika took a heavy breath. Getting the Scarlet Eyes - be it one set or two - is going to be difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I did a little digging and tried to figure out which real-life clan had inspired the Kurta clan. I went to see reddit and one of them stated it was the Sami clan in parts of Europe. It could be wrong because another mutual of mine stated that there was a Mongolian clan that was more similar but I cannot find it. 
> 
> The reason why I went to look for the inspiration is that there is this chapter in the current manga arc that bothered me. Kurapika is seen having a shrine for the Scarlet Eyes and seems to be paying respects to them. However, there are angelic and Mother Mary-like statues, which depicts Christianity/Catholicism. This perplexed me because the Kurta clan did not seem to have these designs. Which leads me to believe that if we follow the KuraNeon Marriage Theory, he might have converted to Catholicism/Christianity or an equivalent of that in the Hunter x Hunter world. I would argue that religion in the hxh world is the same, given that Uvogin and the other Spiders had mentioned Judas. 
> 
> 2\. I also went to look at the HxH world map. It's actually just a mash up of the real-world continents. United States of Saherta and YorkNew City should be USA and NYC respectively. The YorkNew City arc with the mafioso is suspected to be an inspiration for the Five Italian-American mafia families in NYC in the early days. The Nostrades are somewhat taken from Italian and French influences, which is why I made up the idea that the Nostrade mafia family were from a European country (but I did not know what is the name of the European continent equivalent in the hxh map); so I just stated that they are a diasporic population that moved to the United States of Saherta - just like how Italian-American mafia families were. The other countries stated are just made up by me though. 
> 
> 3\. Kurapika's reaction is based on the Cognitive Dissonance psychological theory. The first viable option he has is to think of Neon as a flesh collector and try to stop lusting over her. The second option would be to stop thinking of her as a flesh collector, but as a woman so that he can lust over her. I wrote about KuraNeon and Cognitive Dissonance Theory here: https://thelegitnumbkid.tumblr.com/post/639990244598579200/kuraneon-and-cognitive-dissonance-theory
> 
> 4\. The reason why there's multiples is NOT because of a photocopying ability like Kortopi's. The items are real. The reason why I need them in multiples is that I am going to narrate a specific bidding system that is used in academia. 
> 
> 5\. The dress that Neon wore is a reference to Daisy Buchanan's outfit! 
> 
> Like I said, the subsequent weeks will have an all-hell-breaks-loose type of pace. I might be too busy. Maybe I'd update next Month or April. Please wait till then. I will still keep in touch on Tumblr. I hope everyone continues loving this pairing. It's really rare but I still want to make content so that we shippers can have an outlet and also to have an imagination where KuraNeon develops after the YorkNew City arc. 
> 
> I'm not sure if I should indicate if this fic is Rated E? There's no sex scene yet, but probably like 3 to 6 chapters down the road (I'm not sure which chapter will that be; it's such a slowburn tbh). I hope ya'all can still find this fic once I upgrade it to Rated E.


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